Rodgers’ four hits give Rockies the walk-off win in extras

Some wins are tougher than others. Ryan Feltner pitched very well and the offense took a lead into the ninth, but the Giants were able to scratch across the tying run to force the game to extras. Luckily, Brendan Rodgers came through with his fourth hit of the day to bring home the winning run and secure the series victory.

Rox strike first

Colorado would open the scoring in the third inning. José Iglesias got things going with a one-out single before moving to second base on Charlie Blackmon’s subsequent base hit. Brendan Rodgers then got the Rockies on the board with an RBI double, putting the home team up 1-0 early.

With one out and runners at second and third base, a ground ball back to third baseman J.D. Davis cut a potential Rockies run down at the plate for the second out. Ryan McMahon wouldn’t allow the inning to end without another tally, though, and came through with an RBI single to score Rodgers and double Colorado’s lead.

Randal Grichuk was thrown out trying to head to third, but the run counted and the 2-0 score would stick until the sixth inning.

Feltner’s ace-like outing

Prior to the game, manager Bud Black spoke about his expectation that Ryan Feltner continue to learn and adapt in his starts as the season winds down. Feltner will have plenty to look back on after this one, in which he looked like a top-of-the-rotation starter while also being bit by a habit he continues to try to break.

Feltner retired the first 11 batters he faced, not allowing a Giants base runner until Wilmer Flores’ two-out triple in the top of the fourth. That hit didn’t shake him, though, and he locked back in to retire four of the next five following batters.

Things then got dicey in the sixth. That frame began with catcher Joey Bart’s tenth home run of the season, a no-doubt last to left-center field that put the Giants within a run at 2-1. Feltner came back to get the next two outs before walking Flores and facing a tough at-bat in Joc Pederson.

Feltner looked great throughout the start, allowing just one earned run through his six innings on two hits and two walks while striking out five. He generated ten swings and misses and touched as high as 96mph on his fastball. He did allow another homer - that’s nine allowed through 12 starts this year - but recorded one of his best outings of 2022.

Unfortunately, Feltner would not be the pitcher of record as Brandon Crawford homered off of Dinelson Lamet to tie things in the top of the seventh. This one would be decided late...

Bernard bites back

The game was now reset at two-all, but not for long. Connor Joe singled to open the bottom of the seventh before being replaced by pinch-runner Sam Hilliard. A sacrifice bunt by Brian Serven moved Hilliard into scoring position as Wynton Bernard came to bat. He then sent a single to center field, giving the Rockies back the lead at 3-2.

Bernard would steal second and advanced to third on a throwing error, but be cut down at the plate on a comebacker to Cobb off the bat of Iglesias. A 3-2 Rockies lead went to the eighth inning.

Carlos Estévez did his thing in the eighth, but a Davis single and Crawford double off of closer Daniel Bard tied things with two outs in the top of the ninth. Once so close to victory, the Rockies would instead need some LoDo magic to get the series win.

Tumultuous tenth ends in triumph

Lucas Gilbreath has had a couple of rough outings in a row. He knows this, and he entered the tenth inning ready to make an impact. He did just that, striking out two and keeping the game squared at three.

The bottom of the tenth then began with Bernard standing at second base. He remained there until Brendan Rodgers sent him sprinting home as Rodgers singled into center field, recording his fourth hit and giving Colorado the walk-off 4-3 victory.

Of note, the Rockies are 2-0 since Gilbreath introduced the “Never a Doubt” shirts to the clubhouse. Coincidence? Ask him:

“The shirts, that’s the biggest thing.” (laughs) “And we kind of held true to that saying on the shirt today. ‘Never a doubt.’ That’s true, you know? It wasn’t pretty, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to win games and however we can win games, we’ll take it.”

Up Next

The finale of the Giants-Rockies series takes place on Sunday. In that afternoon game, you’ll see San Francisco’s Jakob Junis (4-3, 3.53 ERA) duel Kyle Freeland (7-8, 4.82 ERA).

First pitch is at 1:10pm MDT. See you then!