San Francisco Giants clinch series opener over Colorado Rockies 8-1 – MLB Update
The National League’s San Francisco Giants made a victorious start of the three-game series against the division rival Colorado Rockies with an 8-1 triumph on Monday, April 18 at Coors Field in Colorado.
Pat Burrell and Nate Schierholtz hit homers and Tim Lincecum tossed seven shut-out innings to clinch the eighth victory for the club in the Major League Baseball season.
Despite yesterday’s loss in a close 6-5 game, the Giants’ batters did not lose their momentum and led the game off with fluent hitting. Aubrey Huff kicked off adding a RBI single that sent the Rockies' pitcher into early pressure. Burrell took advantage
of the pressure and launched a 401-feet long three-run homer to left-field. The second man who took the advantage of the pressure was Schierholtz, who launched 461-feet grand slam and took the lead to 5-0.
In the second inning the Giants added another homer, this time it came of Freddy Sanchez’s bat, who hammered to right-field. The Giants did not stopped there as Schierholtz added another RBI single and Miguel Tejada hit a sacrifice fly to left allowing Burrell
to score. The Giants had posted eight runs over the opposition until the third inning and held the Rockies to no run.
On one side, the batters were dominating, while starter Lincecum did not allow any hit until the seventh inning. He consumed his first hit in the seventh to the Rockies’ batter Todd Helton, who earned an RBI single, the only run scored by the Rockies. The
two-time Cy Young Award winner, making his fourth start of the season, pitched just over seven innings, allowed a run, walked three and made ten strike-outs.
Lincecum seemed pleased of his performance. “That is what I wanted to throw right there," he said. "I felt like I threw the pitch that I wanted and you tip your cap to him. He hit it well."
On the other, the Rockies’ starter Esmil Rogers, pitched just three innings, allowed eight-runs on six hits including three homers. The right-hand hurler allowed two walks and made just two strike-outs to receive his first loss of the season with a 6.75
ERA.
However, he got support from Clayton Mortensen, who relieved Rogers in fourth inning and tossed six shut-out innings, allowing just two scoreless hits. Mortensen permitted two walks and made one strike-out.
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