Mitch Haniger, Keaton Winn shine in SF Giants 6-3 victory over Rockies
The SF Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-3 on Sunday night. On a nationally televised game (for some reason), the Giants completed a much-needed sweep. It was the first time the Giants have swept a series since July. The Rockies are arguably the worst team in the National League, but San Francisco has missed opportunities all season against cellar-dwellers. Now 73-70 on the season, the Giants are just 1.5 games back of the Dbacks for the final wild card.
SF Giants starter Keaton Winn pitches against the Rockies on September 10, 2023.
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
With the Giants giving veteran Alex Cobb an extra day of rest after receiving a cortisone shot, rookie Keaton Winn got the opportunity to start. In his first appearance since September 3rd, Winn continued building on a successful season. In his most overpowering outing of the season, Winn generated 22 swinging strikes on 80 pitches. In fact, Rockies hitters whiffed on 18 of their swings against his splitter.
While one rough inning tainted his line in an otherwise dominant outing, Winn struck out nine across six innings pitched, allowing three earned runs on five hits and zero walks. He now has a 3.55 ERA with the Giants this season.
After a perfect first inning, Winn took a 108.4 mph comebacker off his left knee to lead off the second inning. He immediately went down to the ground in pain. After talking to the trainers and throwing a couple of warmup pitches, he stayed in the game. The next batter, Nolan Jones, managed a bunt single against an overshift on the next pitch he threw. Then, he left a fastball down the middle to Hunter Goodman that turned into a two-run triple.
Goodman scored on a sacrifice fly, giving the Rockies a 3-0 lead, but Winn quickly rebounded, likely as he adjusted to pitching with what will likely be a massive bruise. He retired 15 of the last 17 hitters he faced, striking out six.
The Giants offense quickly cut into Colorado's early lead. LaMonte Wade Jr. singled to start the bottom of the second against Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert and immediately advanced on a double by Mitch Haniger. A groundout by Brandon Crawford and a single by Luis Matos (Giants Top 4 Prospect) each drove in a run.
Thairo Estrada, who had been stranded after hitting a one-out triple in the first inning, erased the Rockies lead with a solo home run to start the third. It was Estrada's 11th home run of the season. He has looked like the All-Star caliber hitter he was early in the season.
Lambert retired the next two hitters he faced, but Wade extended the inning with a single. Haniger came to the plate and sent a 1-0 fastball into the left-field bleachers for his second home run of the series, putting San Francisco ahead 5-3.
Haniger finished the day 2-for-3 with a double, homer, and walk. Haniger has homered in his last two games. It's no secret that Haniger is one of several veterans the Giants need to step up down the stretch. It would go a long way toward the team's success in September and beyond if the right-handed slugger could finally emerge as the middle-of-the-order bat San Francisco was hoping to acquire when they signed him to a three-year, $43.5 million deal last offseason.
The Giants' offense would score one more run against Lambert on an absolutely demolished solo home run by Joc Pederson. It was Pederson's 13th homer of the season.
That would be more than enough run support for the back of the Giants bullpen. Manager Gabe Kapler entrusted Ryan Walker, Tyler Rogers, and Camilo Doval with the lead. All three completed shutout innings of work. Doval recorded his 37th save of the season.
Now, the SF Giants will try to carry their success against the Rockies forward against a different opponent. San Francisco's homestand continues on Monday against the Cleveland Guardians (68-76). Cobb is expected to start and go up against rookie Gavin Williams. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM Pacific at Oracle Park.
