San Francisco Giants starter Blake Snell delivers against the Colorado Rockies in the top if the sixth of the first game of the doubleheader in shutter speed resulting in a 3-D image photo at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jul 27, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, July 27, 2024 Game 1

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Colorado Rockies 1 (38-67)

San Francisco Giants 4 (51-55)

Win: Ryan Walker (7-3)

Loss: Justin Lawrence (3-4)

Save: Camilo Doval (19)

Time: 2:25

Attendance: N/A (won’t be announced until second game)

By Stephen Ruderman

We saw history at Oracle Park Saturday, as Blake Snell became the first player in Modern National League/American League History to strike out 15 in the first six innings of a game, and the Giants beat the Rockies in the first game of this doubleheader 4-1.

The Giants’ offense exploded for an 11-4 win over the lowly Rockies last night, and Saturday, the two teams were to play a rare scheduled single-admission doubleheader. It was cold and gloomy, but serene here at Oracle Park this afternoon, as the Giants looked to win back-to-back games for the first time in over three weeks.

Blake Snell was set to take the mound in possibly the most scouted outing in Baseball this season. Why is that, you ask? Because even though it’s only been two starts, Snell seems to be back to his old self. With the Giants on the verge of falling out of contention, they are rumored to be sellers at the Trade Deadline on Tuesday, and a lot of teams are interested in Snell.

Snell got off to a bit of a rocky start—no pun intended—in the top of the first inning. Snell struck out Ezequiel Tovar to begin the game, but Brenton Doyle hit a line drive right to Heliot Ramos in centerfield that Ramos broke in on, and it sailed over his head, which allowed Doyle to go into second base with a double.

Snell then walked Brendan Rodgers to put runners at first and second with one out for Kris Bryant. The Rockies were in prime position to pounce against Snell. However, Snell calmed down, and he retired the next two to end the inning.

Ryan Feltner made the start for Colorado, and he also ran into trouble right away. Jorge Soler and LaMonte Wade both walked to start the bottom of the first. Heliot Ramos got the runners over to second and third with a swinging bunt for a ground out back to Feltner.

The Giants had runners at second and third with one out for Patrick Bailey. However, Bailey and Tyler Fitzgerald both struck out swinging, and both teams ended up wasting their opportunities.

Snell threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, as he struck out a pair. Matt Chapman put the Giants on the board with one out in the bottom of the second when he hit a high, towering home run to left. For Chapman, it was his 15th home run of the season.

Tovar doubled with one out in the top of the third, and he got to third on a wild pitch by Snell. However, Tovar did not score, as Snell ended up striking out the side.

The Giants went down scoreless in the bottom of the third, and Snell threw a 1-2-3 inning and struck out the side in the top of the fourth. Suddenly, Snell had ten strikeouts through four innings. It did take a toll on his pitch count, as he threw 72 pitches, but make no mistake, he was in complete command.

The Giants had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but they predictably wasted it when Soler grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Snell threw another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, striking out the final two, and he was now up to 12 strikeouts through five innings. Feltner, meanwhile, threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth.

Snell came back out for the top of the sixth and walked Tovar on seven pitches to start the inning. Snell then struck out Doyle on seven pitches for his 13th strikeout of the game. As his pitch count began to approach triple digits, Bob Melvin got the bullpen going, and it was apparent that despite the chance at history, that this was going to be Snell’s final inning.

Brendan Rogers struck out looking for strikeout number 14, and that brought up former Giant Kris Bryant. Bryant struck out on a curve in the dirt, and Snell became the first man in Modern National League/American League History (since 1901) to strike out 15 over the first six innings of a game.

Snell had thrown 103 pitches, so he was obviously done, but he came off the mound to a loud ovation from the Giants’ faithful. Snell also became the first Giant since Tim Lincecum exactly 15 years ago today, July 27, 2009, to strike out 15. For those of you wondering, 15 of the 18 guys Snell retired were set down by way of the strikeout.

“He was ready for anything today,” said Manager Bob Melvin. “He was ready to go over 100 pitches no matter where he was in the game. Could he have gone seven [innings] after 100 pitches? No, but if it was condensed a little bit, he was willing to do anything we needed today (Saturday).”

Many scouts were here, including from the Philadelphia Phillies; the Texas Rangers; the Arizona Diamondbacks; and the San Diego Padres—all teams that are in the playoff hunt—were here to see it. Safe to say that Snell didn’t disappoint. Before I forget, he also gave up just two hits over six shutout innings.

“We just gotta win,” said Snell. “We win, [and] I ain’t going anywhere.”

Feltner, meanwhile, pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth to end his day. Ryan Walker came in for the seventh, and while Elias Diaz flew out to center to start the inning, Michael Toglia tied the game with a solo home run to right.

It was 1-1 going to the bottom of the seventh, and Rockies Manager Bud Black brought in Justin Lawrence. With one out, Jorge Soler hit a ground ball to short that was bobbled by Ezequiel Tovar. Soler, who was jogging out of the box, began to pick up speed, and the throw from Tovar to first was missed by first-baseball Michael Toglia and went into the dugout. Soler was awarded second base.

Wade was then hit by a pitch, and that brought up Ramos, who grounded out to short to move the runner over to second and third. Patrick Bailey poked the first pitch he saw off the end of the bat and into left-center field for a base-hit to knock in a pair and put the Giants back ahead, and he took a chance and legged out a double.

That was all the Giants would score in the bottom of the seventh, and everyone’s favorite punching bag, Tyler Rogers, came in for the eighth to throw a 1-2-3 inning. I guess that’s too bad for everyone who wants to dump on him.

It was off to the bottom of the eighth, and Peter Lambert came in for the Rockies. Chapman doubled to center with one out, and he advanced to third when Lambert tried to pick him off at second and the throw went into center field. Then Lambert threw a wild pitch to make it 4-1.

Camilo Doval came in for ninth, and of course he had to make it dramatic, because he’s been totally snakebit since his blown save in Pittsburgh on May 21. The Rockies had runners at second and third with one out, and the tying run at the plate in Toglia, who homered his last time up.

Toglia hit a ground ball to third, and Chapman stepped on the bag at third before throwing to first, but Toglia was called safe by First Base Umpire Brock Ballou. Toglia did appear out, and when the Giants challenged the play, the call was indeed overturned and the Giants won it 4-1.

The one unfortunate thing about this game was the fact that Michael Toglia’s home run in the seventh robbed Blake Snell of his first win as a Giant. That’s right, folks, he’s still winless as a Giant. Ryan Walker got the win; Justin Lawrence got the loss; and Camilo Doval picked up the save.

The Giants have now won back-to-back games for the first time in 22 days, as they improve to 51-55, and five games back of the Mets for the third wild card.

The second game of the doubleheader will get underway at 7:18 p.m. Michael Birdsong (2-0, 3.55 ERA), who was called back up to be the 27th man on the roster for this doubleheader, will make the start, and he will be opposed by Tanner Gordon (0-2, 10.61 ERA).