The Colorado Rockies sprung out to an early lead but the San Francisco Giants stormed back and survived a late-inning scare to get the 9-8 win and even the three-game series at one apiece on Tuesday night.
Colorado got after Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner early, with singles by third baseman Chris Nelson, catcher Wilin Rosario and first baseman Jordan Pacheco all contributing to a 4-0 Rockies lead.
Bumgarner would leave the game after 4.1 innings pitched and allowing five earned runs on 11 hits, but not before the pitcher launched a game-tying three-run homer in the fourth inning off of Rockies starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin. Chacin went four innings after giving up six hits and four earned runs.
San Francisco would claim the lead outright, 6-4, in the fifth when first baseman Brandon Belt doubled home two runs. After Colorado right fielder Matt McBride cut the lead in half with a RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, the Giants poured in three insurance runs in the sixth and seventh, including Belt's sixth home run of the season, a solo shot, that made the score 9-5 San Francisco.
The Rockies made an attempt at a late-inning rally, beginning in the eighth with left fielder Carlos Gonzalez's RBI single. Pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin's two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth gave Colorado new life before reliever Javier Lopez earned his seventh save for the Giants when he got Jason Giambi to line out to end the game.
The series rubber match is set for 8:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Coors Field. Tim Lincecum (8-14, 5.11 ERA) of the Giants will face Jeff Francis (5-4, 5.38 ERA) of the Rockies.
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