David Hale's strong debut lifts Rockies to 5-3 win over Giants

Recently promoted starting pitcher David Hale held the scorching-hot San Francisco Giants offense to three runs in 6⅔ efficient innings for the Colorado Rockies, who notched a 5-3 victory in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader at Coors Field.

Hale, the obligatory 26th man on the Rockies' roster (a spot that can only be filled in the second game of doubleheaders, per league rules), did not walk a batter and induced nine ground-ball outs while throwing 66 of 91 pitches for strikes. Hale was charged with only two earned runs.

Backups Brandon Barnes and Michael McKenry led the Rockies' offense with two hits apiece. Daniel Descalso, who did not hit a home run between Aug. 2, 2013 and May 16 of this year, went deep for the second time this season. Descalso's two-run shot off of Giants starter Yusmeiro Petit in the sixth inning gave him as many home runs as Rockies star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in 2015.

The Giants threatened to score in the top of the ninth when John Axford served up a leadoff single to Gregor Blanco. However, in the ensuing at-bat, Blanco after stealing second tried to advance to third on a fly ball off the bat of Angel Pagan but was thrown out while strolling into third base by Charlie Blackmon, who now leads the National League with six assists this season.

The Rockies aim for a series split on Sunday at Coors Field when Chad Bettis takes on veteran Tim Hudson. Weather, which delayed both games of the doubleheader and has been a problem almost all season, doesn't appear to be a factor for the 2:10 p.m. MT start.

Source: FanGraphs