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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- After losing three of four games in
Colorado last week, the San Francisco Giants vowed to get even at
home. They did just that, taking advantage of a quirky play
Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.
Jeff Kent's tiebreaking RBI double in the ninth gave the Giants
a 6-5 win over the Rockies, who have lost 12 straight in San
Francisco and have never won at Pacific Bell Park.
Bill Mueller led off the ninth with a walk. J.T. Snow appeared
to bunt into a double play, but was awarded first base when the
umpires ruled that a collision with pitcher Mike Myers (0-1)
prevented Snow from reaching first.
Kent then doubled off the left-field wall against Stan Belinda,
giving Giants manager Dusty Baker his 600th career win and San
Francisco its sixth straight victory.
Myers said he was about 5 feet off the first-base line when Snow
barreled into him, sending both men tumbling to the ground.
"I know J.T. Snow came out of his path to hit me," Myers said.
"If he alters his path, he shouldn't be awarded first base."
The base runner has the right of way in such instances, and Snow
said he simply was running toward first when he collided with
Myers.
"I came out of the box on the grass -- I tried to move up
because I don't bunt very often. I was watching the play and I
turned around and he was right there. I couldn't do anything but
run into him," Snow said. "We got tangled up, it was nothing
intentional. I didn't go out of my way. I'm as surprised as anybody
I ended up on the ground."
Robb Nen (3-3) pitched one inning for the win.
The Rockies, held to three runs in 45 innings while losing their
previous five games at the Giants' new park, were held to seven
hits by four San Francisco pitchers. But the Rockies drew eight
walks, and three of those batters scored.
Colorado manager Buddy Bell said the ninth-inning collision was
simply another disappointing play to cap a frustrating series.
"I saw Snow run into Myers. Apparently it doesn't matter where
the runner runs into the pitcher, it could be in left field, it
could be in right field, it would still be called obstruction,"
Bell said. "We can't seem to get over the hump here. It's not that
we're playing bad. We can't seem to get anything going. We can't
get any kind of consistent offensive attack."
Each team scored a run in the eighth. Tom Goodwin had a
pinch-hit RBI single to give Colorado a 5-4 lead, and Rich Aurilia
responded with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning.
An inning later, Aurilia watched the controversial collision
from the bench as the Giants completed the sweep.
"That's the kind of game that can change the attitude of a team
and the way we play," Aurilia said. "We get any kind of help it's
good. That one worked in our favor, and when something like that
happens you have to take advantage of it."
Trailing 4-0, the Giants hit for the cycle in the sixth to tie
the game. Mueller led off with a double and, one out later, Kent
had an RBI single. Ellis Burks followed with an RBI triple and
Felipe Crespo -- playing because of an injury to Barry Bonds -- hit
his second homer of the season.
The Rockies scored three in the first on a bases-loaded walk
earned by Darren Bragg and a two-run double by Brent Mayne.
Colorado added a run in the sixth on Brian Hunter's RBI groundout.
Rockies starter Rolando Arrojo allowed four runs on eight hits
in seven innings. Russ Ortiz pitched the first 5 1/3 innings for
the Giants, allowing four runs on five hits and six walks.
Colorado's Todd Helton, who leads the NL with a .385 average,
had his 11-game hitting streak snapped. He went 0-for-3 with two
walks.
Game notes
Colorado's Larry Walker missed his second straight game
with a sore right elbow. ... Bonds missed his fifth straight game
for the Giants with a hairline fracture in the tip of his right
thumb. ... Helton scored his NL-leading 82nd run in the first
inning. ... The Giants won the season series 7-6. ... Bragg, who
came into the game batting. 217 with 14 walks in 64 games, walked
in each of his three plate appearances. ... Arrojo, who walked just
three batters in his previous four starts, gave up three walks and
hit a batter. ... The Giants have outscored opponents 80-45 in the
sixth inning. ... Jose Jimenez had his third blown save in 18
opportunities for the Rockies. ... Kent leads the NL with 82 RBIs,
and set a San Francisco record for most RBI before the All-Star
break.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
San Francisco Clubhouse
RECAPS
NY Yankees 13
Baltimore 9
Toronto 9
Cleveland 6
Boston 8
Minnesota 7
Anaheim 5
Seattle 1
Montreal 4
Atlanta 2
San Francisco 6
Colorado 5
Los Angeles 9
San Diego 3
Cincinnati 12
St. Louis 6
Arizona 2
Houston 1
Milwaukee 4
Philadelphia 2
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