Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Jones celebrates after scoring the winning run on a throwing error by San Francisco Giants left fielder Mike Yastrzemski during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Denver. Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is at right. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chase Anderson works against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, right, loses his footing while trying to field the throw from the outfield as Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon scores during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar gestures to the dugout after reaching second base after an RBI single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Elehuris Montero, front right, is doused by Charlie Blackmon, left, and Nolan Jones, hidden at back right, as hitting coach Hensley Meulens, front left, acts as a translator during a television interview after the team’s baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Denver. Montero hit a single to drive in the tying run; the winning run scored on a throwing error by Giants left fielder Mike Yastrzemski. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford is late with the tag as Colorado Rockies’ Brenton Doyle steals second base during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
By CRAIG MEYER Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Chase Anderson worked seven hitless innings as Colorado took a combined no-hit bid into the ninth, and the Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Friday night when Nolan Jones scored the game-ending run on a throwing error by left fielder Mike Yastrzemski.
The Giants didn’t get a hit until J.D. Davis led off the ninth with a double off Nick Mears, but they led most of the game. Anderson walked five and gave up a run in the second.
“I looked up there I think in the sixth or seventh inning and was like, ‘Man, I’ve got the same amount of balls and strikes?’ This is not a recipe for success — on most nights,” Anderson said. “But I was able to make the pitches I needed to.”
San Francisco’s Logan Webb took a shutout into the eighth, when he gave up a tying RBI single to Ezequiel Tovar.
After Davis’ double in the ninth, LaMonte Wade Jr. drew his third walk of the game with one out and Patrick Bailey’s infield single loaded the bases with two down. Wilmer Flores then drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Giants ahead 2-1.
Charlie Blackmon led off the bottom half with a double off Camilo Doval (6-5). After a walk to Jones, Elehuris Montero hit a sharp grounder to left for a single. Yastrzemski’s throw home was short and bounced past catcher Bailey as Blackmon scored, and Jones raced home with the winning run.
“(The throw) was on the money,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “Obviously, Blackmon is very experienced at running the bases here. He got a really good jump. You could see that right away. The only way we were going to have a chance was with a perfect throw and a perfect tag. Everything needed to go exactly right. It didn’t. Not only that, but the ball got away.”
San Francisco challenged the play, arguing that the collision at the plate between Blackmon and Bailey caused Yastrzemski’s throw to go awry, but the call was upheld after a video review.
Montero’s hit extended his on-base streak to 22 games, the second-longest active run in the majors.
“It’s exciting to win that way and celebrate with the team,” Montero said through a translator. “As they say in the Dominican Republic, the one who wins gets to dance. That’s what we did.”
Matt Koch (2-1) got the final out of the ninth for the Rockies, striking out Austin Slater with the bases loaded. Colorado ended an eight-game losing streak to San Francisco at Coors Field.
Webb didn’t walk a batter, allowing four hits.
Anderson threw only 53 of 101 pitches for strikes in his seven hitless innings. He was relieved in the eighth by Justin Lawrence, who then left the game after six pitches. Lawrence landed awkwardly on his ankle on the follow-through of a sweeper that struck out Joc Pederson. Mears replaced him and got the final two outs of the eighth.
Just five days earlier, Anderson struggled against the Giants, giving up six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in a 9-1 loss. The 35-year-old, claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay in May, entered the game with no wins and a 6.49 ERA in 16 appearances this season, including 14 starts.
Bailey hit a fielder’s-choice dribbler to Anderson to score the Giants’ only run against him this time.
Entering the night, Colorado was 1-8 against the Giants this season and 1-16 against its NL West foe dating to Aug. 21, 2022.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Michael Conforto (left hamstring strain) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. He was the designated hitter and batted fourth. INF Casey Schmitt was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
UP NEXT
RHP Keaton Winn (1-2, 3.55 ERA) will take the mound Saturday for San Francisco against a to-be-determined starter for Colorado in the first game of a doubleheader. Neither team had announced a starter for the second game of the twinbill, which was scheduled after Thursday’s series opener was postponed by rain.
