© Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
As Mike Yastrzemski stood on first base in the fifth inning, the San Francisco Giants (76-42) decided to push the issue.
They had reached base in each of the first three innings against the Colorado Rockies (52-66) but had no runs to show for it, in large part due to a pair of double plays turned by the visitors.
Not this time.
On the first pitch Jon Gray threw to Curt Casali, Yastrzemski stole second.
On the second pitch Jon Gray threw to Curt Casali, the veteran blooped a single to left, Ron Wotus took a risk and sent Yaz home, and the Giants broke the stalemate with a half-inning of smart, agressive baseball.
A small rally followed, capped by a Tommy La Stella double that was maybe a nanometer from being a grand slam, and the Giants never looked back, beating the Rockies 5-2 and securing the series win.
The day started nearly perfect for San Francisco and their starting pitcher Alex Wood.
The tall lefty retired the first nine batters he saw, with Forever Giant Connor Joe breaking up the party when he knocked the first pitch thrown in the forth inning down the left field line.
Wood had the breaking stuff working all day, consistently inducing ground balls and strikeouts. He went 6.2 innings with little action on the base paths before getting in trouble in the seventh when he gave up a quartet of singles – along with two runs – to Colorado hitters.
Gabe Kapler went to the pen and called on Dominic Leone to deal with Forever Giant Connor Joe. Joe cracked a single to right, but Lamonte Wade Jr. showed off the cannon and gunned down Elias Diaz at home plate to protect the slight 3-2 lead.
San Francisco tacked on two more in the 7th when Slater and Flores batted in runs and pushed the lead to 5-2.
Kapler then called on Littleton, Colorado native Tyler Rogers in the 8th, former Rockie Jake McGee in the 9th, and that was that.
With the win, San Francisco registered their sixth-straight series win, taking down the Rockies, Diamondbacks (twice), Brewers, Astros, and Dodgers during that span.
The Giants will continue the homestand Monday night when they host the New York Mets in the first of a three-game series. First pitch set for 6:45 p.m..