Giants 7, Rockies 4: A ninth inning collapse hands the Giants the sweep

For the first time this season, the Colorado Rockies have been swept at home. In what was initially a pitchers dual through the first five innings, turned into another scoring fest in the late innings. The Rockies carried a one run lead into the ninth inning but still new to being a closer, Carlos Estévez could not slam the door shut and instead was responsible for the four total runs given up in the ninth. His fifth blown save of the season.

The loss drops the Rockies to 63-77 overall and 45-27 at home. Meanwhile with the sweep, the Giants are now the first team in the major leagues to reach 90 wins.

Jon Gray limits the Giants through 5, drives in a run

Fresh off the injured list, Jon Gray came out and showed no rust at all. He breezed through his first five innings while striking out eight Giants hitters and holding them to just two hits at that point. Fatigue may have finally set in the sixth inning as he gave up three consecutive hits, one being a three run blast that forced Gray out of the game. Overall, a solid outing coming off the IL for the upcoming free agent.

Gray also helped his team with the bat! The 29-year-old veteran came up to the plate with one out and Elias Díaz at third. Gray, who came into today hitting just 4-for-39 (.103 BA), came up huge with a base hit through the left side of the infield that was playing up to score the game’s first run. It’s Gray’s third RBI of the season and the 13th of his career.

Trevor Story 2-out RBI double

After scoring their second run on a Charlie Blackmon fielder’s choice in the fifth inning, the Rockies had another opportunity to pour runs on the Giants with Trevor Story coming up to bat. Story, who came into today hitting .313 with three home runs and seven RBI’s in his last nine games, came through again with runners on the corners.

The ball did come off the glove of LaMonte Wade Jr. but the official scorer ruled it a double. Regardless, the play scored the Rockies their third run and put them comfortably up 3-0 after five. Until...

Crawford, the Rockies killer

Brandon Crawford has been torturing the Rockies for about his entire career. Coming into today, he had 22 career home runs against the Rockies, the most against any team in the majors. When Crawford came up to bat in the sixth inning with two runners on, he tied the game up with one swing and added on to his career totals.

As the tweet says, it was Brandon Crawford’s 20th home run of the season. He is now just one shy of tying his career high in a season.

Díaz gives Colorado a one run lead

Elias Díaz has cooled off a bit after tearing through the majority of the second half of the season, but today he was back in similar form. He finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles and a solo home run blast to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning that initially put the Rockies up by a run. It was Díaz’s 16th home run of the season which adds on to what has already been a career year with the long ball.

Giants come from behind to win

With Daniel Bard out of the closer role indefinitely, Carlos Estévez came into the ninth inning with a one run lead to shut the door on the Giants. That was exactly what did NOT happen.

The sirens were beginning to go off after Estévez walked the leadoff batter Buster Posey on four straight pitches. Thairo Estrada came off the bench and knocked in a single just past the glove of Ryan McMahon. Then on what is probably the strangest defensive play in Brendan Rodgers’ young career, he fielded a ground ball from a slow Brandon Belt but got up and did not attempt a throw to first base. That decision loaded the bases with ZERO outs and a clutch young hitter in LaMonte Wade Jr. coming up to bat. Wade Jr. knocked in a pair of runs on a simple single to right field, giving the Giants the lead and giving Estévez his fifth blown save of the season. An absolutely brutal way to hand the brooms over to your division rival at home.

Up next

The Rockies head back on the road and travel east to face off with the Philadelphia Phillies for a four game series. The Phillies are currently chasing the Braves in the NL East. The last time these two teams faced off was way back in April when the Rockies took two of three in Denver. Antonio Senzatela (4-9, 4.16 ERA) will face off against Ranger Suárez (6-4, 1.38 ERA) with first pitch set for 5:05 PM MDT.