SAN FRANCISCO - According to wRC+, which accounts for park effects, Ian Desmond entered the night as the worst hitter in the National League. The Giants unfortunately woke up the old version of Ian Desmond.
Colorado's first baseman smoked a three-run homer in the fourth and an RBI double two innings later and the Rockies rolled to a 6-1 win at AT&T Park. They have taken two straight in the first series of the season between the two teams closest to the division-leading Diamondbacks. Here's what else you might want to know...
-- Gorkys Hernandez gave Derek Holland an early lead with a 433-foot bomb to left-center while leading off the bottom of the first. Hernandez has three homers this season after hitting none all of last season, when he dealt with a hamate issue.
-- Desmond's RBI double looked like it would hang up, but Austin Jackson came up seven feet short of making a catch. It remains odd that the Giants do not play Jackson in left field, with Hernandez and Gregor Blanco - superior defenders - splitting the time in center until Steven Duggar is deemed ready. The Giants signed Jackson because Denard Span was worth negative-27 defensive runs saved last season. Through a quarter of the year, Jackson is at negative-8.
-- Holland threw 26 pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning because Charlie Blackmon and Chris Iannetta fouled off 12 of his first 20. Still, he made it through six, allowing four earned on six hits and a walk. He struck out three.
-- With two on and two outs in the seventh, Brandon Belt pinch-hit for Austin Jackson. He struck out when Bryan Shaw froze him with a 97 mph cutter on a 3-2 count. It was an absurd pitch. Sometimes you tip your cap.
