San Francisco Giants Do The Unthinkable – Complete A Series Sweep

The San Francisco Giants haven’t had the best luck when it comes to being on the right side of a sweep this year. Before today, their last sweep was against the Houston Astros in mid-July, going 3 for 11 in potential series sweeps for the year (Swept Cubs in 4 games, Dodgers and Houston) up until today. But on the plus side, that’s a better average then the team has with runners in scoring position. Har. Har.

Thankfully though, chasing a sweep today, the Giants inability to close out a series didn’t haunt them as they took their third consecutive over the Rockies – only the fourth time ever the Giants completed a sweep at Coors Field.

Pence Has His Coming Out – The newly acquired Hunter Pence has had his issues offensively with the Giants, looking almost reckless at the dish, doing his best to hit a seven run dinger every plate appearance. Now a bit more calm (at least, calm as Pence can be) the slugger showed why the Giants paid a hefty price to bring the awkward outfielder to San Francisco, going 2 for 5 with 3 RBI on the day. Pence hit a screaming, two-out, two-strike line drive down the third-base line to knock in his second RBI (his first came off a fielders choice) of the day and then capped his afternoon off with a booming double to right field in the 7th, driving in another. The smash could’ve scored Buster Posey in addition had he got a better read on the ball, which bounced off the wall. I think we all know Eli Whiteside scores on that….

Lincecum Flip Flops – Tim Lincecum has been pretty effective since the All-Star break and today was no different as he held the Rockies to just one run on five hits in five innings of work. Nice as that sounds, he also walked five and struggled with the command issues that have haunted him for so much of the year. Credit where credit is due though, and that’s to Lincecum for working his way out of jams, even if they came against a woeful Rockie lineup. Some impressive defensive help from Melky Cabrera who threw a lighting rod to cut down a runner at home didn’t hurt either. Tiny Tim’s fastball gave him issues yet again, especially early as his inability to locate it or keep it down in the zone had the bullpen working early but unlike previous starts, Tim didn’t implode, leaving on a good note with a win in his back pocket.

A Giant Offensive Outburst – For a team that couldn’t muster as much as getting a baserunner past second, let alone a run for the past week plus, a near league worst pitching staff was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Giants. And boy, did the prescription work. The Giants put up 35 runs and 45 hits against the Rockies pitching staff which consisted of a very unconventional four man, 75 pitch limit rotation. Unfortunately, the Giants wont be teeing off against near minor league level pitching in St. Louis for their upcoming four game series but you hope, at least, it helped them get off the snide mentally.

The Giants continue their road trip tomorrow, opening a four game series with the Cardinals before returning home to take on these Rockies yet again.