DENVER (AP) — Rookie Kyle Harrison pitched seven scoreless innings and the San Francisco Giants scored four runs in a decisive fourth inning despite getting only two balls out of the infield in a 5-0 victory over Colorado on Tuesday.
Harrison (3-1) gave up four hits, all singles, and struck out two. He has given up one run in his last 18 innings, although this was his first decision in that stretch. He walked two and made only 86 pitches.
“Talk about pounding the zone," Giants manager Bob Melvin said. "Throwing strikes, getting early-count contact. It was fantastic.
“When you haven’t pitched here before, there are some unknowns when you go out there. Is your breaking ball going to break like it normally does? Am I going to get winded? All those things there is some uncertainty about didn’t seem to bother him at all.”
The Giants, who snapped a four-game skid, ended an 11-game streak of scoring no more than four runs in one game, a day after Melvin held a post-game meeting following a 6-1 loss at Philadelphia.
“It was well-timed,” said Nick Ahmed, who had two hits.
“We didn’t play well in Philly. We got embarrassed. They are a good team, but we didn’t play our best baseball. If you just come out and do the little things right, you’re not always going to win a game, but you give yourself a better chance."
LaMonte Wade Jr. had a two-run single to cap the Giants’ four-run fourth inning and walked three times, improving his on-base percentage to .485.
The Rockies got only two runners as far as second base and have lost three in a row and eight of their last nine, falling to 8-27 and extending the worst start in franchise history.
Jung Hoo Lee extended his hitting streak to five games with his first career three-hit game, one out of the infield.
Harrison is the sixth Giants starter to throw at least seven shutout innings at Coors Field, the first since Barry Zito on April 9, 2012.
“I felt great out there,” Harrison said. “The shapes of pitches were fine. Any time you have two strikeouts, you had a hell of a defense behind you. They made some great plays.”
Jacob Stallings walked and Elehuris Montero singled with two outs in the second off Harrison, who got out of that inning on a groundout and retired 10 of the next 11.
“We couldn’t square up the fastball," Colorado manager Bud Black said, “and he threw enough changeups and sliders in certain counts and he got us. He pitched well. He didn’t throw. He pitched.”
Ahmed had two hits and an RBI to raise his career batting average at Coors Field to .335.
Michael Conforto drove in the Giants’ final run with a single in the seventh.
After Matt Chapman walked and Blake Sabol singled to right with one out in the fourth inning, Ahmed hit a slow roller that third baseman Ryan McMahon could not handle off Dakota Hudson (0-6) to score Chapman.
Lee reached on a dribbler down the third base line to load the bases and Sabol scored on a groundout before Wade lined a two-run single to right-center.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Jorge Soler (right shoulder) was held out of the starting lineup for the third straight game. … C Patrick Bailey (concussion) may begin baseball activity Tuesday, manager Bob Melvin said, adding, “If he gets better every day, we’ll see what Saturday looks like.” Bailey is eligible to return Saturday. … LHP Blake Snell (thigh) was to throw about 50 pitches in live batting practice at Oracle Park on Tuesday. He is eligible to return Wednesday.
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (elbow) threw a weighted ball off a trampoline from 15 feet Tuesday, his first throwing since being diagnosed with an elbow strain April 19. … OF Kris Bryant (back) hit off a tee, ran and played catch Tuesday, but there is no timetable for his return. He has been out since April 13. … OF Nolan Jones (back) did throwing and running drills in Pittsburgh last weekend and was to meet with a team doctor Tuesday. He will not return when eligible Saturday. … LHP Lucas Gilbreath (teres major strain) has not thrown since April 23, when felt soreness during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque. He was placed on the 60-day injured list April 30.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Jordan Hicks (2-1, 1.89 ERA) has given up two earned runs or fewer in each of his first seven starts. He is 1-1 in seven previous appearances against Colorado, all in relief.
Rockies: RHP Peter Lambert (2-1, 5.66) will make this third start of the season, after making his first six appearances in relief. He has a 6.99 career ERA at Coors Field.