SAN FRANCISCO — Tyler Fitzgerald continued his surge in strength with two home runs, Kyle Harrison tied his career high with 11 strikeouts and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 on Friday night.
Fitzgerald, with two two-run home runs, became the first Giants player to hit seven home runs in an eight-game span since Barry Bonds in 2004. The rookie shortstop had a five-game hitting streak that was snapped in the fourth quarter. fair.
“It’s one of those weird things that’s going to happen,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m not out there trying to hit home runs, but God has plans in store for me, I guess. I don’t know what to say about that.”
Fitzgerald, who said this is probably the most home runs he’s hit in eight games in his life, said he’s seeing the ball well.
“At the beginning of the year, when I wasn’t playing much, I was just trying to get on base,” Fitzgerald said. “Now I’m going up there not to hit a home run, but to swing a little harder and try to do damage.”
Harrison (6-4) kept the Rockies running with one hit. He struck out six of the last nine batters he faced, tipping his cap to the home crowd after departing following a two-out walk in the seventh. He improved to 3-0 in five career starts against the Rockies.
Coach Bob Melvin praised Harrison for digging deep into the game, especially with the teams playing a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday.
“Probably the first time he’s thrown 106 pitches in his career, I’m sure,” Melvin said. “But we needed it today.”
Rockies manager Bud Black said before the game that Harrison “had our number.”
“What won us over was his fastball — sneaky velocity at the top of the zone,” Black said. “And we just can’t deal with it.”
Jorge Soler also had three hits, including a leadoff home run, reaching base all five times. Soler drilled an off-speed pitch from Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (2-4) to start the game. He added RBI singles in the second and fourth innings.
Freeland allowed six runs in four innings, although he had eight strikeouts to surpass Ubaldo Jiménez for fourth-most in Rockies history.
Fitzgerald followed Soler’s hit in the fourth with a two-run blast that put the Giants ahead 6-1. He then scored the sixth goal to increase the lead to 8-1. Heliot Ramos hit a three-run homer in the eighth.
“Now he’s getting consistent playing time,” Melvin said of Fitzgerald. “There’s a lot of skill there. He has strength, he has speed, (he) can play multiple positions. There’s a lot to like.”
Brenton Doyle hit two runs with a triple in the eighth inning for the Rockies.
The Giants have lost five of seven since the All-Star break, including two of three at Colorado to start the second half.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: OF Jordan Beck (broken hand) is transferring his rehab assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque. … OF Nolan Jones (back) is recovering at the team’s spring training facility in Scottsdale.
Giants: RHP Keaton Winn will undergo season-ending elbow surgery next week. … IF Thairo Estrada (wrist) was placed on the 10-day injured list, and IF Casey Schmitt was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. … OF Jung Hoo Lee (shoulder), who had season-ending surgery earlier in the year, is progressing well and is almost ready to play ball. He is expected to be ready for spring training next year.
NEXT
The teams play a doubleheader on Saturday. LHP Blake Snell (0-3, 5.83 ERA) pitches for the Giants against RHP Ryan Feltner (1-10, 5.19 ERA) for the Rockies in Game 1. Game 2 starters have not yet been announced.
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