July 27th 2024.
The Rockies suffered a disappointing loss against the Giants in San Francisco, losing their momentum once again. They had just wrapped up a successful homestand where they won 4 out of 6 games, including a dominant 20-7 victory over the Red Sox. However, their luck quickly changed as they faced left-hander Kyle Harrison on Friday night at Oracle Park.
Harrison was in top form, allowing only one run on one hit over 6 2/3 innings. He also tied his career-high with 11 strikeouts, making it nearly impossible for the Rockies to mount a comeback. The Giants' rookie shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald also had a standout performance, hitting two two-run homers and contributing to their four home runs in total.
This was a tough loss for the Rockies, who have struggled on the road this season with a record of 14-37. They have now lost nine consecutive games at Oracle Park and have only won 5 out of 29 games in San Francisco since the start of the 2021 season.
Rockies manager Bud Black acknowledged the challenges they faced against Harrison, saying, "Overall, it was a tough one tonight. Harrison was the key." The Rockies had put their hopes on left-hander Kyle Freeland, who had a streak of five quality starts and a 1.95 ERA. However, he was unable to contain the Giants' powerful offense and was tagged for two home runs.
Despite striking out eight batters and escaping jams in the second and third innings, Freeland was taken out after four innings, giving up six runs on eight hits. Black commented, "Kyle had to work hard and they had some good at-bats against him. Kyle's stuff was good, but they worked him hard, they really did. And he just couldn't seem to find the inside corner enough with the fastball."
Fitzgerald continued to be a thorn in the Rockies' side, hitting his second two-run homer in the sixth inning off Tyler Kinley. This extended the Giants' lead to 8-1, making it even more difficult for the Rockies to make a comeback. Fitzgerald has been on fire lately, hitting home runs in five straight games and currently has a nine-game extra-base hit streak, the second-longest by a Giants rookie since 1900.
The Rockies' offense finally woke up in the eighth inning with a two-run double by Brenton Doyle, but it was too little too late. The Giants had already secured their victory, with Heliot Ramos adding a three-run homer off reliever Ty Blach in the eighth. The Rockies' hibernating offense was unable to come alive in time to make a difference.
It's clear that Harrison has the Rockies' number, as he now has a 3-0 record against them with a 2.22 ERA and 28 strikeouts. In their previous matchup on May 7 at Coors Field, Harrison pitched a career-high seven scoreless innings, only allowing four hits in the Giants' 5-0 win.
As the Rockies reflect on their loss and look towards their next game, they will need to regroup and come up with a plan to overcome Harrison's dominance. It will not be an easy task, but with determination and focus, they may be able to turn their luck around. For more news and analysis on the Rockies, be sure to sign up for the Rockies Insider.
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