By ,
Published February 05, 2015
San Francisco, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Pinch-hitter Ryan Wheeler tied the game with a two-run single and DJ LeMahieu put Colorado in front with a base hit as the Rockies used a five-run ninth to surge past the San Francisco Giants, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game set.
Colorado trailed 4-2 entering the ninth before Troy Tulowitzki and Justin Morneau singled off Sergio Romo (3-2) to begin the frame. Pinch-runner Charlie Culberson replaced Tulowitzki, who was injured running to first on his hit.
Wilin Rosario flied out to advance both runners and Corey Dickerson was intentionally walked to load the bases. Wheeler then stepped up for Josh Rutledge and rolled a grounder up the middle to plate Culberson and Morneau to knot the game.
LeMahieu flared a base hit off the end of the bat and into center to bring home Dickerson and end Romo's night. George Kontos came on and served up a single to pinch-hitter Michael McKenry, which allowed Wheeler to score. Kontos then picked off McKenry from first, but he was in the rundown long enough to let LeMahieu to score from third and make it 7-4.
"It got away from us with the fundamentals there in the ninth," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
LaTroy Hawkins fired a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down his 12th save and Matt Belisle (1-2) picked up the win after striking out two in a perfect eighth.
Tommy Kahnle, who came on in the fourth after Jorge De La Rosa left with a back injury, struck out five over three innings of one-run ball for Colorado, which has won three straight.
Morneau posted a two-run single among his two hits in the triumph.
"There was some absolute great hitting to really set the table," Belisle said of the ninth. "A great win coming off an emotional game yesterday. (I'm) very proud of the club."
Michael Morse had two hits and two RBI, while Hunter Pence tallied a pair of hits, an RBI and two runs scored for San Francisco, which has dropped four of its last five games.
The game was tied 2-2 before the Giants pushed across a run in the fifth and another in the seventh to go ahead.
Buster Posey hit a one-out single and after Pablo Sandoval grounded out, Morse ripped a double into right-center to plate Posey. Drew Stubbs mishandled the ball in center, allowing Morse to scamper to third. Hector Sanchez, though, struck out to end the inning.
Chris Martin replaced Kahnle in the seventh and Pence began the frame with a double down the right-field line. Pence moved to third on Posey's groundout and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.
Earlier, Colorado opened the scoring with two runs in the third, but the Giants got both runs back in the home half. Morneau's one-out, two-run single got the Rockies on the board.
Angel Pagan began the home third with a double and came home on Pence's single. After Pence moved to second and third following a pair of groundouts, Morse plated him with a base hit to knot the score.
Game Notes
The Rockies were 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while San Francisco finished 3-for-12 with RISP ... Giants starter Tim Lincecum struck out six and surrendered three hits and two walks over six innings.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/rockies-surge-past-giants-with-5-run-9th