​The Colorado Rockies spent most of Friday night creating chances without converting them, finally breaking through in the ninth. Kyle Karros delivered a go-ahead two-run single, Cole Carrigg added a sacrifice fly, and Juan Mejia needed just one pitch in the bottom of the ninth to strand the bases loaded and seal a 4-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. With the win, Colorado improved to 39-57, while San Francisco dropped to 39-55.
Colorado mounted threats by loading the bases with nobody out in both the sixth and the ninth innings. They came up empty in the sixth but pushed three runs across in the ninth before nearly surrendering the lead. Tanner Gordon logged five innings, allowing one run on eight hits while walking one and striking out one, throwing 81 pitches with 54 for strikes. It wasn’t a dominant outing for Gordon, who recorded only three swinging strikes on 35 swings and had reduced velocity across his repertoire. His four-seam fastball averaged 90.7 mph, more than two miles per hour below his season average. The movement, however, was better, as each of Gordon’s five pitches conveyed more induced vertical movement than his season norms. He employed a balanced mix, throwing 20 changeups, 19 sinkers, 19 sliders, 19 four-seamers, and four curves. Against right-handed hitters, the four-seamer remained his primary offering at 36%.
Rafael Devers opened the second inning by lifting a 79.7 mph curveball over the right-field wall for his 19th home run, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead. Gordon then navigated several threats with help from his defense. In the third, Luis Arraez singled and Casey Schmitt reached on an infield hit. An Ezequiel Tovar throwing error moved both runners into scoring position, and the Rockies intentionally walked Devers to load the bases. Gordon recovered to retire Willy Adames via a flyout to Tyler Freeman in right.
The Giants threatened again in the fourth when Drew Gilbert doubled and Drew Cavanaugh singled, placing runners at the corners with two outs. Heliot Ramos lined a 103.6 mph ball toward first, but TJ Rumfield made the catch to end the inning. In Gordon’s final frame, Cole Carrigg delivered the defensive highlight. Arraez opened the fifth with a single and Schmitt hit a fly ball to center that Carrigg tracked down, then swooped in behind the ball to throw Arraez out at second. The Giants challenged the call, but it stood. Devers followed with a 109 mph single to right, yet Gordon induced a groundout from Adames to escape the inning with the game still tied at one.
Robbie Ray started for the Giants and held Colorado to one run on four hits over five innings. He issued six walks, struck out four, and threw 100 pitches, 53 for strikes. Ray showed inconsistent command but was effective overall. Colorado managed eight of its 13 batted balls in play against Ray at 95 mph or harder, though most of that contact did not translate into runs. Ray, too, contributed to a tense finish as the Rockies and Giants traded blows late, with Colorado finally breaking through in the ninth before Mejia closed it out.
In the end, Colorado’s late surge paid off, delivering a much-needed win on the road. The Rockies will look to carry that momentum forward as they head toward the rest of their schedule, while the Giants will try to regain consistency after a rough late-inning setback. The game featured notable defense, timely hitting, and strategic pitching changes, underscoring how a sharp late-inning effort can turn a challenging outing into a victory.