Colorado Rockies Zac Veen flips his bat after connecting for a sixth inning two run home run against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco Fri Aug 14, 2026 (AP News photo)
Friday, Aug. 14, 2026
Oracle Park
San Francisco, California
Colorado Rockies 5 (49-73)
San Francisco Giants 2 (50-72)
Win: Kyle Freeland (4-10)
Loss: Landen Roupp (7-12)
Time: 2:28
Attendance: 38,258
By Stephen Ruderman
SAN FRANCISCO–The Colorado Rockies got to Landed Roupp for four runs, and the San Francisco Giants’ offense sputtered against Kyle Freeland, as the Rockies took what may have been the worst overall game played in baseball this season 5-2.
The Giants were hoisting the Rockies, who came into Friday night two games behind the Giants for fourth place. Or shall, I say the Giants were two games up on the Rockies in terms of avoiding last place.
It was a cold and foggy night, but also a humid and monsoonal night here at Oracle Park. With the super El Nino taking shape across the Pacific Ocean, the monsoonal moisture from the desert has been pushed northwards into the mediterranean climate of Northern California. Combine the marine layer with that monsoonal moisture, and you have yourself an interesting night of weather.
Anyway, Landen Roupp took the ball for the Giants, and opened the game with a one two three top of the first inning. Granted, it helped that Jonah Cox, who was just called back up from Triple-A Sacramento, made a spectacular leaping catch at the track in left-center field to take away at least extra bases from Mickey Moniak.
The Giants would be up against the left-hander, Kyle Freeland, who came into Friday night’s game at 3-10 with a 6.63 ERA. Friday night, Freeland would look like Sandy Koufax against this listless Giants’ offense. In case anyone is wondering, Freeland, too, started his night with a one two three first inning.
Roupp pitched scoreless innings in the second and third. Freeland threw a scoreless bottom of the second.
The Giants had a shot against Freeland in the bottom of the third. They wouldn’t score, but we did get a little bit of entertainment. With Christian Koss at second base and one out, Cox hit a ground ball to short. Koss made a classic rookie mistake, and started to take off for third on a ground ball to the shortstop, but Ezequial Tovar’s throw to third was dropped by Willi Castro. Despite that, Koss went back to second. Hey, that’s what you get in a game between the Giants and the Rockies.
Roupp set down the first two men he faced in the top of the fourth. However, the Rockies manufactured a two-out run.
Bryce Eldridge responded with a home run to center to lead off the bottom of the fourth. For Eldridge, it was his 13th home run of the season.
The Rockies retook the lead in the top of the fifth, and added two more on a bomb and water shot by Zac Veen in the top of the sixth. Jung Hoo Lee just turned around, and didn’t even move. As for Veen, he has hit two home runs in six big league at-bats this season.
Roupp ended up going five and two thirds. As for Freeland, he went eight innings. Freeland only struck out two, which kept his pitch count to 95.
The Rockies scored a run in the top of the ninth. The Giants would get one in the bottom of the ninth against Brennan Bernardino on an RBI double by Rafael Devers.
Then, we would have some more entertainment. With nobody out, and Devers at second, Rockies’ center-fielder Cole Cerrig made a spectacular diving catch on a blooper off the bat of Bryce Eldridge. Devers just kept going to third, and was easily doubled off at second. Tony Vitello challenged the play, but well, to no avail.
Just as it was both cold and humid here at Oracle Park Friday night, this game was both boring and entertaining. It was just a weird night here at Oracle Park.
Kyle Freeland got his fourth win of the season, and Landen Roupp took the loss. Roupp is 2-9 since June 10.
The Giants fall to 22 games under .500 at 50-72, and are just a game up on the Rockies. This is only the second season since 1996 that the Giants have been 22 games under .500. The other season, of course, was 2017.
The good news is that there will be a quick turnaround Saturday. For San Francisco Logan Webb (7-7 ERA 3.59) will be the starter, and he will be opposed by Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen (3-10 ERA 6.83).
First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.
Busy day of moves:
Friday, the Giants made a flurry of roster moves in addition to Jonah Cox being called back up. Grant McCray and Nate Furman were sent back down to Triple-A Sacramento.
Most importantly, outfielder Turner Hill was called up. Hill was too good for Double-A, and thus only lasted a couple of weeks in Richmond. He hit .353 in Sacramento, and was riding a 26-game hitting streak when he was called up.
I say Hill’s callup was the most important, because he had 40 friends and family on hand here at Oracle Park Friday night.
Matt Chapman was moved to the 60-day Injured List to make room on the 40-man roster for Hill.
All-Star Game returns to San Francisco:
Friday, Major League Baseball announced that the 2028 All-Star Game will be played at Oracle Park.
It was generally understood that for the All-Star Game to come back to San Francisco in 2028, major league players would participate in a six-day tournament as part of the 2028 Summer Olympics at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Giants last hosted the All-Star Game in 2007. Barry Bonds and Willie Mays came out from center field during an emotional pregame ceremony. Bonds started that game, and hit second in Tony LaRussa’s National League lineup.
Ichiro hit his famous inside-the-park home run, and Eric Byrnes’ dog jumped into McCovey Cove. Aaron Rowand got his first taste of the home clubhouse and dugout here at then-AT&T Park, where he would spend the next four seasons. Best of all, the late, great Bruce Froemming was the home plate umpire.
The American League won 5-4.
