Surging Giants hop the Padres, tie the Rockies
DENVER — When Alex Dickerson’s back tightened up and forced him to miss a pair of games in Milwaukee over the weekend, the left fielder explained he’s dealt with the pain off and on throughout his entire professional career.
If Dickerson wakes up feeling out of sorts on Wednesday, the back soreness he’ll experience might feel a little different.
No one would blame Dickerson if his back was ailing from carrying the Giants.
With a career-high four hits including the go-ahead single off Wade Davis in the top of the 10th inning, Dickerson propelled the Giants to a 8-4 victory that moved them out of last place in the National League West for the first time since May 19.
Armed with a 4-1 lead entering the ninth inning, the cellar door was swung wide open and all the Giants needed was a Will Smith save to move into a tie for third place with the Rockies. The typically dominant Smith collapsed for the second time in three save chances, allowing a solo home run to shortstop Trevor Story and a game-tying two run blast to Rockies center fielder Ian Desmond.
The Rockies’ comeback effort didn’t faze the Giants as they rallied for four runs in the 10th as Dickerson, shortstop Brandon Crawford and right fielder Mike Yastrzemski all delivered RBI hits.
In a sign of the apocalypse that revealed that this Giants run might be something special, the team scored its fourth run of the inning when Kevin Pillar sent a ball through the legs of Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado.
After spending nearly two months in the NL West basement, the Giants (46-49) climbed up the stairs and are now staring the Rockies directly in the eye as they’re back in third place for the first time since April 13.
Both clubs spending the week at Coors Field are now looking down on the last-place San Diego Padres.
Barring a catastrophic collapse, nothing stands in the way of the Dodgers and their seventh consecutive National League West crown. Los Angeles may hold a double-digit lead in the NL West, but since June 1, the Dodgers’ 24-15 record over their last 39 games is the exact same mark the Giants have posted.
A Phillies walk-off win on Tuesday prevented the Giants from gaining ground in the Wild Card race, so San Francisco remains 3.0 games back of the second Wild Card position.
To put their fourth consecutive series win on ice, the Giants needed critical contributions from all three outfielders.
Before his go-ahead single in the 10th, Dickerson flipped a two-strike pitch from Scott Oberg — one of the National League’s most dominant relievers — into left field for a valuable insurance run in the eighth inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Pillar made a sensational, full-extension diving catch to rob pinch-hitter Tony Wolters of a leadoff hit. Pillar added another outstanding catch in the 10th and has played tremendous defense throughout the series, but his grab to keep Wolters from reaching was one of the best defensive plays by a Giant this season.
With San Francisco leading 3-1, Yastrzemski led off the top of the ninth with an opposite field
home run into the left field bleachers for his second solo blast in as many days.
The night started with a strong outing from Drew Pomeranz, whose days with the Giants could have been numbered after he allowed eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings on May 31 against the Orioles, but the organization stuck with the lefthander and kept him in the rotation.
Pomeranz hasn’t pitched deep into games over the last six weeks, but he’s proven serviceable in a fifth starter role as he’s posted a 3.78 ERA over his last seven starts including Tuesday’s outing against the Rockies.
After surrendering four earned runs in just four innings in his last start before the All-Star break, Pomeranz tossed five shutout frames at Coors Field on Tuesday before he allowed a leadoff walk and single to open the bottom of the sixth.