DENVER — A night after Santiago Casilla got back on the horse, he unraveled once again. The rest of the relievers who entered in the ninth did, too.
Casilla entered with a two-run lead and gave up a solo homer to Nolan Arenado. After a one-out single by Tom Murphy, the closer was replaced by Josh Osich, who hit the only batter he faced. Joe Nathan tried to pick up his first Giants save in 17 years, but he gave up a two-run walk-off double to Christhian Adames. The Rockies won 6-5.
The loss kept the Giants from a series win. They still have not won back-to-back road games in the second half.
For eight innings, the Giants finally looked like a team ready to play at Coors Field. Eduardo Nuñez scored in the first and Brandon Belt made it 3-1 with a long two-run shot in the second. Gorkys Hernandez, who turned 29 on Wednesday, smoked a solo shot in the fourth. The homer was his first in the big leagues since 2012.
Albert Suarez gave two runs back on solo homers in the fourth, and for a moment the Giants bullpen started to stir. It happened again in the fifth, when Suarez walked Raimel Tapia with one out. Suarez picked Tapia off and made it through five. The bullpen, which has quietly dominated on this trip, took it from there.
Steven Okert pitched a sharp sixth and Hunter Strickland got a pair of strikeouts in the seventh on 98 mph fastballs. Will Smith, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez got the ball to Casilla. The rest was a disaster.
Starting pitching report: Suarez continues to be perfectly solid as the fifth starter. He has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his nine starts.
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Bullpen report: Okert was the first man out of the bullpen. Carlos Gonzalez flied out softly to center, Arenado struck out, and David Dahl popped up. That inning alone should make Okert an early favorite for a bullpen spot next spring.
At the plate: Belt’s homer went 457 feet, per Statcast. He hit a 475-foot homer at Coors Field last season.
In the field: Brandon Crawford made a ridiculous play to end the third, ranging over from his shifted position and firing a jump-throw to first for the out. You kind of had to be there.
Attendance: The Rockies announced a crowd of 23,961 human beings. There were also a lot of bugs.
Up next: A day off! Madison Bumgarner faces the Diamondbacks on Friday in Phoenix.
