Double the fun; Giants stroke 8 of them to beat Rox

Coors Field? Maybe not so scary in the daytime. Despite a frustrating loss in the opener of a three-game set Friday, the red-hot Giants won a series at Colorado for what seems to be the first time since Jack and Rose were floating on that door, pounding the Rockies 8-3 on Sunday.

Side note: there wasn't room for a second person on that door? Sorry, that's lazy screenwriting. Jim Cameron should be ashamed.

Pence should have told us it was doubles night. (AP Photo)

Johnny Cueto struggled but managed to get through six frames in earning his eighth win of  the season. The Giants inexplicable run now shows 15 wins in their last 17 games as a sub-.500 squad has suddenly become a 32-20 juggernaut. 

The Coors Field factor certainly played a role, batted balls were jumping like they had a carburetor, but that doesn't make the numbers less impressive. After fueling most of this run with stingy pitching and just enough runs, the G-Men ripped off 33 hits in the last two games of the series as Rockies hurler got slapped around like they were on sleepover and Chris Brown's house.

Both teams had first-inning offense and nothing to show for it. Denard Span led off the game with a hit; Chris Rusin picked him off. DJ Lemahieu doubled with one out, but Cueto's slick fielding contributed to a pair of ground outs to help the Rox waste it.

The Giants showed how you use those doubles in the second. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence laced two-Baggers to start it and plate the game's first run. After Brandon Belt got robbed on a looper, Brandon Crawford contributed an infield hit and Mark Reynolds dribbled it for an add-on error, allowing Pence to score.

Uh, yeah, that one got hit hard. (AP Photo)

Colorado promptly responded with Trevor Story's two-out solo shot but it could have been worse. Gerardo Parra opened the home second with a double to center but made the mistake of trying to stretch it, and the Span-Matt Duffy combo sent him packing.

Pitching falters, bats go cold. Gloves don't slump. Defense has been a huge part of the Giants' hot streak.

San Francisco got that back, with interest. Kelby Tomlinson singed, took second on a grounder, stole third and came home on a Pence single. Belt doubled off the wall in right center to score both Pence and Posey, who had walked ahead of him.

Defense slumps. Belt and Cueto took turns bobbling the same Rusin ground ball to start the third, and Charlie Blackmon followed with a single to set up the heart of the Rockies order. Lemahieu struck out, but Carlos Gonzalez singled to bring up Giant killer Nolan Arrenado with the bases loaded. 

He walked to force in a run and keep the threat level at DefCon 1 for Parra, who hits Cueto at nearly a .400 clip. He hit a bullet -- right at Belt, who snagged the liner and stepped in first for a double play.

Defense never, ah, forget it.

Through three innings it was 5-2 and the Giants already has eight hits to the Rockies' five; just another routine Coors Field opening act.

A Span homer into the second deck in right led off the fourth and answered the Rockies' tally. The table was set for more when Duffy walked and Posey singled with one out but Pence and Belt both whiffed; Rusin's first Ks of the afternoon.

Who new this was how replay was decided?

The Giants didn't score in the fifth but there were fireworks. Gregor Blanco doubled but later was picked off as the umpires proved replay is a 50/50 proposition and the Giants got hosed when the coin in New Jersey came up tails.

Cueto, who didn't pitch a clean inning until the fifth, departed after six innings pitched and two runs allowed. The Brandons gave him some extra cushion with back-to-back doubles in San Francisco seventh, and a 7-2 lead was (oh, God) entrusted to the bullpen.

Josh Osich pitched a scoreless seventh but left after one at-bat in the eighth, reasonable since that AB saw Carlos Gonzalez take him half way to Fort Collins for the second straight day. Hunter Strickland finished the inning, and George Kontos worked a ninth that featured some loud contact but no real damage.

There was insurance. Pence's third double of the day scored Tomlinson, who had been hit by a pitch to start the eighth. It was the eighth Giants double of the day, tying a San Francisco-era team record, was the season-high-tying 17th hit.

The wealth was spread around. Pence, Posey, Span and Blanco all had three hits with Crawford and Belt each adding a pair.  Duffy was the only member of the starting eight not to hit safely, and he reached base once via the walk.

A quick turnaround awaits as the Giants kick off four in Atlanta starting tomorrow morning, the swing series in a 10-game trip. Jeff Samardzija goes in search of his eighth win (7-2, 2.54) squares off with Mike Foltynewicz (1-2, 3.95).

Game time is 10 am Pacific. We'll bring bagels.

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