The San Francisco Giants opened their season series against the Colorado Rockies by dominating them in a trend that started in 2021.
San Francisco won the first five games between the teams this year to stretch its winning streak to 12 games against the Rockies.
The tide has turned, though, with the Rockies winning four of the past five, including 7-4 Friday in the opener of a three-game series in Denver.
The teams will meet again Saturday night when San Francisco sends Alex Cobb (4-6, 3.99 ERA) to the mound against Colorado’s Ryan Feltner (2-4, 6.39) in a matchup of right-handers.
Cobb is in his first season with the Giants after spending his first 10 seasons in the American League and will make just his fourth appearance against Colorado. He is 3-0 with a 5.71 ERA in three starts against them, with two of those games in Denver.
Cobb pitched well in his last start, a 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Francisco, and he has given up three runs or less in each of his past four outings.
The Giants know that playing at Coors Field can be tough on a pitching staff. With that in mind, San Francisco activated reliever Zack Littell from the injured list on Wednesday at the expense of struggling outfielder Luis Gonzalez, who was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
“It feels like we have a more robust group of pitchers that are ready, and adding one additional pitcher to the mix — a proven, successful reliever in Zack Littell — gives us an eight-man pen for the first time in a while,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “It just feels protective going forward, and it felt like a good time to get Luis going.”
Colorado finally got going Friday night to end a five-game losing streak. While they’re far out of the playoff chase, the Rockies can impact it against the Giants.
They did on Friday night, sending San Francisco to its third straight loss, and will try to do it again behind Feltner, 25. He has never faced the Giants in his young career and is coming off a tough outing against Arizona last weekend. He allowed six runs — five earned — in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Feltner gave up five earned runs to the Cardinals in a win on Aug. 9, but despite his recent struggles, his place in the rotation appears secure. The Rockies are down a starter for the rest of the season after Antonio Senzatela tore his left ACL in a game in St. Louis on Thursday.
“It’s unfortunate, especially to happen to a guy like ‘Senza’,” left-hander Kyle Freeland said. “I mean, for it to happen to anybody, it (stinks). But, you know, an injury like that, it really stinks. We’re losing a core member of our starting staff, and he’s got a long road ahead of him.”
Colorado has dodged another potential serious injury: Charlie Blackmon left Thursday’s game with a leg injury that later was diagnosed as a sore hamstring. Blackmon, the longest-tenured Rockies player, sat out Friday and likely will be sidelined Saturday but could return for Sunday’s series finale.
–Field Level Media
