Yastrzemski heats up, but Giants can’t complete sweep
San Francisco falls to Colorado for first time in 13 games
DENVER » Don’t look now, but Mike Yastrzemski might just be back to the form that earned him MVP votes two seasons ago.
With two more hits Wednesday, Yastrzemski capped a road trip that was as fruitful personally as it was for the Giants, especially after C.J. Cron’s eighth-inning home run that prevented San Francisco from completing the sweep in Colorado.
Dropped down to the nine hole with the Rockies starting left-hander Kyle Freeland, Yastrzemski delivered an RBI single in the second inning that drove in the Giants’ first run, in the fourth, scored the Giants’ third run after doubling to right field.
However, that was all San Francisco would muster the rest of the way, falling 5-3 to the Rockies for their first loss against Colorado in 13 games, despite getting seven strong innings from Logan Webb.
The two-bagger was Yastrzemski’s fourth extrabase hit of the three-game series and his fifth of the road trip, raising his OPS to a season-high .828. After his 2-for-4 day Wednesday, Yastrzemski comes home to San Francisco from a road trip during which he hit 7-for-17, scored six runs, drove in six runs, doubled four times and homered once, reaching base another four times via bases on balls.
That .828 OPS is close to the .852 mark he posted during his breakout rookie season when he slugged 21 home runs.
Surely, Yastrzemski is disappointed to be leaving Coors Field, where his 1.230 career OPS entering Wednesday is higher than any other ballpark in which he’s played more than three games. But the Giants should be hopeful that Yastrzemski can transfer his success to Oracle Park and beyond after his recent string of at-bats.
With 12 walks and only 18 strikeouts, Yastrzemski’s K:BB ratio this season is the best of his career. And while he hasn’t totally eliminated his strug