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Iannetta drives in winning run in 10th, as Rockies beat SF
Giants

DENVER (AP) — Chris Iannetta got just enough of a fastball to roll it past the pitcher’s bare hand, by a diving second baseman and into center.

Seeing-eye single, indeed.

Iannetta drove in the winning run with a hit up the middle in the 10th inning and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-5 on Monday in a game delayed 55 minutes by rain.

It was Iannetta’s eighth career walk-off RBI and first since May 11, 2016, when he was with Seattle. He was doused by teammates with just about everything afterward — bubble gum, water and Gatorade .

“We’ll take it. I’ve hit a line drive before and the pitcher snags it,” Iannetta said. “I guess it evens out, but not really.”

Hunter Strickland (2-2) walked Nolan Arenado to start the inning, and Arenado went to second on Trevor Story’s deep drive to center. Carlos Gonzalez was intentionally walked, bringing up a struggling Ian Desmond, who lined a single to right that popped out of Andrew McCutchen’s glove. Iannetta followed with a single that Strickland tried to reach out and snare with his bare hand .

“That ball’s hit anywhere else it’s a double play. He placed it just right,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Added Strickland: “I gave it my best effort. It didn’t work out.”

The Giants had something brewing in the 10th when Evan Longoria and Brandon Crawford had back-to-back singles off reliever Bryan Shaw (2-3). Shaw wiggled out of the jam with three straight grounders.

In the ninth, Wade Davis found himself in a predicament. After getting two outs, the Rockies closer issued two straight walks and then hit Buster Posey. But Davis got Brandon Belt to softly line out to second and quell the threat.

Their ability to escape didn’t surprise Iannetta.

“They know what they need to do to be successful. They default to that,” the catcher said. “There’s ice water going through their veins.”

Pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval had an RBI single in the sixth that gave the Giants a 5-4 lead. Colorado tied it in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Desmond.

Gorkys Hernandez had a solo shot and Longoria drove in three runs with a pair of doubles for a Giants team that’s now dropped 11 of their last 12 at Coors Field.

Andrew Suarez got off to a rough start, giving up a three-run homer to Story in the first. But the Giants left-hander settled down to retire his last eight batters in the no-decision.

Rockies starter Chad Bettis was done in by Longoria, who had a two-run double in the first and another double in the sixth that tied the game.

Posey was back at catcher after missing the last two games with a sore hip. He was 1 for 4 with a run scored and hit by pitch. He also threw out Charlie Blackmon trying to steal second in the seventh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: INF Joe Panik (left thumb) went 1 for 2 with a run scored in a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Monday. ... The Giants are nearing a decision with OF Hunter Pence (right thumb), who’s been on a rehab assignment. “We’ll see where we’re at with him,” Bochy said. ... The plan for RHP Mark Melancon (strained elbow flexor) is to start “ramping him up a little bit more, at some point go back-to-back days,” Bochy said. ... Bochy said postgame that LHP Madison Bumgarner (broken left pinkie) is slated to throw Thursday in San Jose.

Rockies: 2B DJ LeMahieu (sprained left thumb) will head to extended spring training to get in some at-bats, manager Bud Black said after the game. ... RHP Adam Ottavino was placed on the 10-day DL with a strained left oblique. ... Pinch-hitter David Dahl singled in the ninth and stole second base, banging up his left shin while sliding. He stayed in after trainers checked on him.

SON RISE

Before the game, the Giants purchased the contract of right-hander Dereck Rodriguez from Triple-A Sacramento. He’s the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

The son didn’t get into the game as several members of his family arrived in town to be on hand for his major league debut. His dad was out of the country.

UP NEXT

Giants: RHP Jeff Samardzija (1-3, 6.23 ERA) is 4-5 against Colorado with a 3.84 ERA in 16 games.

Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (4-5, 3.28 ERA) has won three of four starts this month, with a 2.05 ERA.