Giants lose a “close” one to Rockies 11-6, and that’s…. okay

In a typical Coors Field baseball game, the Colorado Rockies held on to beat the San Francisco Giants. This one all came down to a bottom of the fifth that had everything go the Rockies way.

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Matt Cain pitched a great game up to that  point, having given up only a fluke single to the pitcher Jorge De La Rosa in the third. Giant-killer Gerardo Parra homered to lead off the fifth, and then the wheels came off. Cain was still throwing the ball well, and it wasn’t like he was clearly hittable like Jake Peavy was yesterday. But every ball hit made it through the holes. It was just a Coors Field day, and Bruce Bochy was trying to give Cain a chance at a decision.

Chris Heston entered the game with the score 3-1, and gave up a two-run double to another Giant-killer Nolan Arenado, and then a three-run double to Mark Reynolds. Ben Paulsen singled home an additional run to make it 9-1. Momentum just pushed runs across, not much more that you can do there.

It was a good win for the Rockies, no reason to take anything away from the opponent. They did what they needed to do to hang on to this one. But the Giants also continued to show fight all the way until the last inning. Then a two-run double off the bat of Carlos Gonzalez all but squashed the hopes. But with this team you never know.

Going into the seventh, the Giants were still down by eight runs, but there was still a feeling of optimism due to the at bats that they were taking. Matt Duffy, who’s been hitting the ball right at people all year, doubled to score Belt with one out. Then a two-strike double to left by Ehire Adrianza scored Duffy. Denard Span singled him home, and suddenly a 9-4 game was doable.

After a two-run homer by Brandon Belt in the eighth, the team was right back in it.

Sometimes a win is a win, sometimes a loss is a loss. But this one seemed like neither. They came back, and that was enough to overcome the fact that one inning can and do get out of hand. Those who have played the game know that. And you just have to grit your teeth and try to get through it.

Aside from the news that Sergio Romo has been placed on the disabled list with a flexor strain, and a little hip pain for Joe Panik (who took today off so he can be ready for tomorrow’s game against the Dodgers), the trip to Colorado wasn’t awful. They averaged just over six runs per game. Jeff Samardzija pitched an excellent game in the opener. The team battled from behind in every game.

What you hope is, everybody’s swing stays the same as before getting to Coors Field. Sometimes guys leave there with a little more of an uppercut in their swing. Remember, balls fly out of there. It looks like the line drive approach stayed with the team throughout the series, not too many pop ups. That looks promising moving into the series at Chavez Ravine.

Next: Fan of Team or Fan of Player?

You never want to accept losses, every one of them is just as important as the ones in September. But this one just feels like a deep breath before a great series against the Dodgers.