San Francisco Giant Drew Gilbert swings for a top of the second inning two run home run against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After tying up the series in Denver with the Colorado Rockies (37-54) Saturday, the San Francisco Giants (37-52) came into game three with a loss to the Rockies on Sunday. The Giants turned this game into a home run derby hitting four long balls through five innings. Drew Gilbert hit the first one good for two runs in the second inning and Casey Schmitt a solo in the fifth.

Rafael Devers had a couple of homers a solo homer in the fourth inning and then his second of the day in the fifth. He very nearly knocked the cover off the ball driving it into the third deck, a tremendous hit giving San Francisco a 5-4 lead.

The Giants would add to their lead in the sixth inning for a 6-4 advantage. San Francisco hung onto the lead going into the bottom of the eighth. It then all seemed to fall apart in that inning when Kyle Karros homered with TJ Rumfield and Braxton Fulford aboard and that was the ball game. The Rockies took game three 7-6 as well as the series.

GAME RECAP

The Rockies were first up on the scoreboard in the opening inning taking a 2-0 lead. Jake McCarthy scored the first run and TJ Rumfield the second for a 2-0 Colorado lead. Scoring first in game one worked great for the Rockies and San Francisco had to keep pace.

San Francisco took care of business in the second inning tying up the game 2-2. Drew Gilbert hit a home run with Willy Adames on base and we had a tie game. Colorado pushed back in the bottom of the second with Edouard Julien scoring on a Brett Sullivan double taking back the lead 3-2.

In the third inning the Rockies extended their lead to 4-2. Troy Johnston hit a sacrifice fly and Hunter Goodman scored. Again San Francisco would have to step up and keep pace with Colorado in a real see-saw game.

The fourth and fifth innings revealed three more home runs for San Francisco as the Giants took back the lead 5-4. Rafael Devers had his first home run in the fourth inning for a 3-4 count.

In the fifth inning Casey Schmitt hit his 17th home run of the season tying up the game 4-4. Devers would break the tie with his second home run of the game and what a crushing hit it was flying into the third deck.

There was a pitching change for the Giants in the fifth inning. Erik Miller relieved Tyler Mahle who pitched through 4 1/3 innings. He allowed eight hits three earned runs, no walks with five strikeouts. Miller pitched the fifth and sixth innings.

San Francisco would add to their lead in the top of the 6th inning 6-4. Drew Gilbert singled driving Willy Adames home from second extending their lead. The Giants Adrian Houser and Sam Hentges combined on the mound to close-out the bottom of the seventh inning.

Drew Gilbert had his third hit of the game in the top of the eighth. He was having some great production at the plate which included his two run home run and three RBIs. San Francisco had two outs and two on in the top of the inning looking for more insurance runs.

Colorado has an explosive offense so trailing by only two runs was not at all out of their wheelhouse. The Giants wanted to pad that lead but unfortunately Schmitt grounded out leaving Gilbert and Luis Arraez stranded.

The Rockies got a rally going in the bottom of the seventh. TJ Rumfield doubled and Troy Johnston was hit by a pitch and with only one out Colorado was threatening. Then disaster hit when Kyle Karros knocked the ball out of the park, a three run homer taking the lead 7-6.

San Francisco got out of the inning but had some work to do in the top of the ninth inning. When it was looking so promising, the Giants were now three outs away from losing the series.

Heliot Ramos was first up in the ninth facing Jordan Romano on the mound who came in to try and close out the game. This was only his second outing. Ramos grounded out for the first out.

Rafael Devers struck out and San Francisco was down to their last out. Jung Hoo Lee came to the plate and got his first hit of the game and there was a glimmer of hope for the Giants.

Adames struck out and the Rockies had won the game and the series in a huge disappointment. Unfortunately the Giants have seen this far too many times over the season.

GAME NOTES

Starting pitcher Tyler Mahle started today for San Francisco. He pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing eight hits, three earned runs no walks with five strikeouts. He was relieved by Erik Miller in the fifth inning. He pitched 1 2/3 innings spotless with two strikeouts.

Adrian Houser and Sam Hentges combined successfully on the mound in the seventh inning. Dylan Smith came in to try and close out this game and sadly gave up two hits and three runs. The Rockies took the 7-6 lead into the top of the ninth inning and Colorado closer Jordan Romano finished off San Francisco.

The highlights of this game were the four homers hit by the Giants but the late game loss was a tough pill to swallow. Rafael Devers had two home runs and Drew Gilbert with another, Casey Schmitt with the fourth. They came into the game with some nice plate production but left too many runners on base. This was just another blown lead for San Francisco.

It will be a quiet ride home for the Giants no doubt. It’s just been an awful season for the them. They will need to put this series in the rear view mirror having little time before they take on the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night.

The Giants plan on starting Landen Roupp. He has a 5-8 win/loss record and a 4.55 ERA. Kevin Gausman will take the mound for the Blue Jays with a 4-7 win/loss record and a 4.19 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 6:45 PM PDT.