Francis hurt by HR ball as Rockies lose to Giants

DENVER – Jeff Francis is paying dearly for his mistakes lately.

The San Francisco Giants hit two of their three home runs off Francis and went on to beat the Colorado Rockies 11-6 Saturday night.

Francis (3-4) was tagged for six runs on nine hits in 3 2-3 innings in his second-shortest outing since joining the Rockies in early June after beginning the year in Cincinnati's farm system. He struck out three and walked two.

Buster Posey had a two-run homer off Francis in the first inning and Melky Cabrera added a solo shot in the third. Francis has allowed five home runs in a stretch of 13 2-3 innings over his last three starts.

"I made some mistakes that I paid for," Francis said. "Early in the game, the ball down the middle to Posey and I walked a guy ahead of him — just dumb. There's a few pitches in there I make where they still get a hit and things pile up. I've got to look at it honestly. I'm just not throwing the ball well enough. I've got to make more quality pitches. Sometimes balls get away from you. You have to minimize those mistakes."

Madison Bumgarner gave the Giants a solid start and Angel Pagan homered among his four hits. San Francisco pounded out a season-high 17 hits in beating Colorado for the fifth time in seven games this season, including four of five at Coors Field. It was the Rockies' 10th loss in their last 12 games.

San Francisco had 16 hits in a 16-4 rout Friday night.

Bumgarner (12-6) kept the Rockies in check, allowing one run and five hits in six strong innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Pagan and Posey each had three RBIs to help the Giants win consecutive games after a 1-7 skid. They own a half-game lead over second-place Los Angeles in the NL West.

"The tough part was we spotted them six in 3 2-3 innings," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "What I'm proud of is, the guys out there on the field, they keep busting their rear ends. They moved the ball around a little against a tough starting pitcher. We know how tough he is. A tough guy that's been tough on us in the past. We kept battling and got into their bullpen and did some things against their bullpen. What more can you ask them to do?"

Trailing 6-0, the Rockies got on the board when Josh Rutledge hit a solo homer off Bumgarner with one out in the sixth.

The Rockies rallied for a pair of runs off reliever Brad Penny in the seventh, getting an RBI single from Jonathan Herrera and a run-scoring double from rookie Matt McBride, who singled for his first major league hit earlier in the game.

But the Giants came back to tack on four more runs in the eighth. Brandon Belt doubled to start the inning and Pagan drove him in with a single. Ryan Theriot followed with an RBI double and, after Cabrera walked, Posey singled for his third RBI of the night. Gregor Blanco's pinch-hit sacrifice fly finished the outburst.

Pagan hit a solo shot off Rex Brothers in the ninth after the Rockies scored a pair of runs on Ramon Hernandez's double and a wild pitch by Sergio Romo that allowed Dexter Fowler to score from third base.

Cabrera put the Giants in front 3-0 in the third when he connected for his 11th homer, a solo shot off Francis that sailed into the left-field bleachers.

San Francisco got three more runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Joaquin Arias and Pagan and a bases-loaded walk to Cabrera, one of four walks he drew on the night.

The Giants broke on top in the first. Cabrera drew a two-out walk and Posey followed by driving an 85 mph fastball from Francis onto the mezzanine behind the left-field bleachers for his 16th home run of the season and second in two nights.

"It seems like we always play pretty well here, and it seems like we caught it at the right time. The guys are swinging the bats great," Bumgarner said.

NOTES: The Rockies placed OF Michael Cuddyer (strained right oblique) and LHP Christian Friedrich (stress fracture, lower back) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled INF-OF Matt McBride and RHP Edgmer Escalona from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... Pinch-hitter DJ LeMahieu had an RBI single in the ninth for Colorado. ... Posey has six homers and 24 RBIs in 18 games since the All Star break.