Kurz's Instant Replay: Giants 9, Rockies 3

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCOBattery mates Matt Cain and Buster Posey led the way as the Giants cruised to a 9-3 win over the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park on Saturday afternoon.

Posey continued his recent tear by going 2-for-4 with one walk, including a two-run homer in the third inning. Cain, who was just 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA in his last nine starts before Saturday, was effective in 7 13 innings of work in picking up his 11th victory. He gave up just two runs, both earned.

The Giants broke out of their home scoring slump in a big way, after they had scored just a total of two runs in their last 27 innings here, batting .144 in the process. That included Friday night, when they were held to just three hits against Colorado in a 3-0 defeat.

The Giants will remain in at least a tie for first in the N.L. West with Los Angeles when the day is over, as the Dodgers play in Miami later on Saturday.

Starting pitching report

Cain went 7 13 innings, surrendering two earned runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts in lowering his ERA under three (2.99). He tossed 90 pitches, 62 of which were strikes.

With the win, Cain is now tied with teammate Tim Lincecum for third-most wins in the majors since the start of the 2009 season (50). When he gets at least three runs of support, Cain is a perfect 10-0 this season and 68-9 in his career.

Colorados Drew Pomeranz lasted four innings before Josh Roenicke replaced him in the bottom of the fifth. Pomeranz allowed four runs, all earned, on six hits and one home run to Posey. He struck out three and walked one on 73 pitches (45 strikes) in suffering his seventh loss of the season against just one win.

Bullpen report

Jose Mijares came on in relief of Cain with one out in the seventh and two men aboard. He retired Carlos Gonzalez before giving way to Sergio Romo, who got Henderson to fly out to center. Brad Penny closed out the game and allowed one unearned run in the ninth. Eric Young flied out with two men on base to end the game.

Roenicke surrendered four runs, all earned, and five hits after relieving Pomeranz in the fifth inning. He walked two and failed to record a strikeout. Mike Ekstrom and Rex Brothers each pitched an inning for Colorado, with Brothers surrendering an earned run in the eighth.

At the plate

Posey launched his team-leading 19th home run, just the Giants 18th at home, in the third inning with Melky Cabrera on base to give San Francisco a 4-0 lead.

In addition to his 7 13 innings of work on the mound, Cain helped his own cause with a two-out RBI single in the second inning to give the Giants a 2-0 lead at the time.

In fact, every one of the Giants starting nine had at least one hit, including newcomer Hunter Pence. The new right fielder hit a two-out RBI double in the fifth inning for what was just his seventh hit since a trade with Philadelphia.

Angel Pagan and Joaquin Arias both tripled in the game, giving the Giants 38 three-baggers this season. That trails only Colorados 40.

For Colorado, DJ LaMahieu hit his first career home run to lead off the eighth inning against Cain, but the game was effectively out of reach by then.

In field

Along with his proficient afternoon at the plate, Posey gunned down Jordan Pacheco trying to steal in the top of the fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, with Cain in his first precarious situation of the afternoon, Brett Pill snagged a Carlos Gonzalez liner with two on and one out and nearly doubled off Josh Rutledge at first.

Attendance

The Giants recorded their 141st straight sellout on a sun-splashed, perfect afternoon for baseball in the lower 70s with a light breeze.

Up next
The Giants and Rockies will meet in the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday, again at 1:00 PST, as Barry Zito (9-8, 4.19 ERA) will face Colorado right-hander Alex White (2-6, 5.75 ERA).

Zito will be making his 17th career start against Colorado, and is 6-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 18 total outings. He threw a complete game shutout over the Rockies on April 9 at Coors Field. He earned the win in his last start vs. St. Louis last Tuesday allowing two earned runs in 6 23 innings of a 4-2 Giants win.

White had a no decision against the Dodgers in his last start after tossing four shutout innings in a 3-1 Rockies win on Tuesday.