It’s bordering on ridiculous.
The Giants erased a three-run deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the eighth inning, mounting their second comeback in as many nights to defeat the Colorado Rockies, 10-7, on Wednesday night at Coors Field. They’ve tied their longest winning streak of the year at seven games, and it marks their 20th comeback victory of the season.
And in winning by three runs, San Francisco’s streak of six consecutive one-run wins is over.
“You can never count us out,” said third baseman Casey Schmitt on the Giants’ postgame show. “Every time we step out there, we’re expecting a war.”
Entering the top of the eighth inning, San Francisco trailed 6-3 was on its way to a flat loss against Colorado. Robbie Ray allowed four runs (two earned) over four innings, his first time failing to complete at least six innings since April 21. Willy Adames’ two-run homer — his second home run in as many days and the second-farthest of his career — and sacrifice fly accounted for the Giants’ only offense.
For a second straight night, San Francisco found offense when it mattered most.
Three of the Giants’ first four batters — Adames, Heliot Ramos and pinch-hitter Dominic Smith — singled to load the bases against the Rockies’ Tyler Kinley. From there, Casey Schmitt and Mike Yastrzemski delivered for a second straight night.
Schmitt, whose solo homer ignited the four-run rally, drew a walk with the bases loaded to trim the deficit to two runs. Then Yastrzemski, who delivered the go-ahead single on Tuesday, smashed a double off the right-center field wall that nearly missed being a grand slam. Two runs scored, the game was tied, Kinley was out and Zach Agnos was in.
With Tyler Fitzgerald up and the go-ahead run on third, the Giants executed the squeeze play. Fitzgerald laid down a bunt in between the third-base foul line and the mound, and Schmitt dashed for home. Third baseman Ryan McMahon, one of baseball’s best defenders, made a perfect throw on the run to home plate.
Home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus initially called Schmitt out, but the Giants challenged the call and the call was overturned. Schmitt was safe, and the Giants had a 7-6 lead.
“He looked safe right away to me,” manager Bob Melvin told reporters in Denver. “Casey’s reaction to it too; the baserunner usually knows. I almost challenged it before I even heard from the video room.”
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In the top of the ninth, San Francisco continued piling on. Wilmer Flores drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Schmitt drove in his second run of the game with a single. Yastrzemski shot a single up the middle to drive in a run. Despite the four-run lead, manager Bob Melvin still went with Camilo Doval to close out the win opposed to Sean Hjelle, who was also warming up.
Against Doval, the Rockies threatened to make their own comeback.
Following Hunter Goodman’s solo home run, which trimmed the Giants’ lead to 10-7, Thairo Estrada and Brenton Doyle strung together back-to-back singles to bring Orland Arcia — the tying run — to the plate. With Randy Rodríguez on red alert in the bullpen, Doval got Arcia to hit into a game-ending ground out, securing the seventh consecutive win.