Double plays hurt Giants

By Jeremy Kahn

Trying to get their first win of the season over the Colorado Rockies, the San Francisco Giants discovered one huge problem, the double play.

On two different occasions, the Giants grounded into huge double plays and the Rockies took advantage of the Giants misfortunes, as they won for the fourth straight time, by the final score of 6-4 at Coors Field.

Casey McGehee grounded into a double play in the top of the fourth inning, as Nolan Arenado dove to his right, got to his feet, stepped on third base for one and threw to first get McGehee by a step.

Joe Panik was the tying run with one out in the top of the ninth inning, and Gregor Blanco on first base.

Panik hit a ground ball to D.J. LeMaieu at second, who tossed to Daniel DeCalso at second for one and onto Justin Morneau at first to end the game.

Rafael Ynoa hit the eventual game-winning double in the bottom of the sixth inning that scored LeMahieu.

Corey Dickerson later hit an RBI single for the Rockies final run of the evening.

Justin Maxwell continues to be a spark in the lineup in place of the injured and emotional team leader Hunter Pence.

Maxwell hit a 447-foot two-run home run in the top of the second inning to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.

Unfortunately, Giants starter Chris Heston was unable to hold the lead for long, as the Rockies quickly tied it up in the bottom of the second.

Nick Hundley doubled to right field to score Morneau, and then LeMahieu tied up the game with a single to center to score Hundley.

Angel Pagan then gave the Giants the lead once again, as he singled to centerfield to score Blanco in the top of the third inning.

That lead would last a half-inning, as Charlie Blackmon would hit a 424-foot home tun yo straightaway centerfield to tie up the game.

Once again, the Giants would retake the lead in the top of the fifth inning, as Brandon Belt hit an opposite field double to score Panik.

Heston would then give away the lead and eventually the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Rockies would win for the fourth time in as many chances against the defending World Champion Giants.

In all, Heston went five and one-thirds, allowing six runs on 11 hits, while walking one and striking out four.

Bruce Bochy was ejected from the game for arguing a called strike three against Brandon Crawford as the eighth inning came to a close.

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