SAN FRANCISCO — When Alex Wood took a tumble, the Giants began to stumble.
But thanks to an early cushion built by a patient offense and a steadying relief appearance from rookie Camilo Doval, the Giants remained on their feet and secured a series victory over the Rockies with a 7-3 win at Oracle Park on Wednesday.
Wood held the Rockies scoreless through six innings but took an awkward fall past third base and into foul territory during a puzzling stolen base attempt after reaching on a walk in the bottom of the sixth. The Giants lefty returned to the mound for the seventh and faced four Colorado batters but didn’t record an out as he issued a leadoff walk and gave up three softly-hit singles before manager Gabe Kapler called on Doval to escape a bases-loaded jam.
In the fifth game of his career, Doval induced a 4-6-3 double play and a groundout back to the pitcher to maintain a multi-run advantage and give the back end of the Giants bullpen some breathing room.
A Giants offense that scored two runs on bases-loaded walks and two more on a Brandon Belt single in the first inning added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh with a disciplined approach that frustrated each Rockies pitcher.
Catcher Curt Casali walked with the bases loaded during both of the Giants’ rallies Wednesday while new center fielder Mike Tauchman had three hits, including one that led to a run in the seventh in his club debut.
A win helped the Giants, now 16-9 on the season, remain in a tie for first place with the Dodgers as they enter a significantly tougher portion of their schedule. From April 30-May 30, the Giants will play 28 games (20 on the road) including seven against the Dodgers and six against the Padres.
A team that’s been carried by its starting pitching in April will contend with deeper lineups in May, but if Wood’s outings are any indication, the rotation will be up for the challenge.
From the first inning of his start on Friday against the Marlins to the sixth inning of Wednesday’s outing against the Rockies, Wood recorded 38 consecutive outs without surrendering a hit. The Giants left-hander issued just two walks during a 12 2/3-inning hitless streak as he racked up 16 strikeouts.
After allowing a leadoff home run to Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm in his last outing, Wood didn’t allow another hit as he tossed seven innings to lead the Giants to a 5-3 win over Miami.
With help from a smooth diving stop up the middle and an accurate throw to first from second baseman Tommy La Stella in the fourth inning on Wednesday, Wood could begin to sniff the history books. A running catch in the right-center-field gap from Tauchman allowed Wood to escape the fourth with a no-hit bid intact, but his quest came to an end in the top of the sixth when right fielder Darin Ruf’s diving effort to snag a Garrett Hampson line drive came up short.
Ruf was able to get a glove on Hampson’s line drive, but he bobbled the ball onto the outfield grass, allowing Hampson to reach second base with a double.
Wood induced a flyout to the center field wall to end the top of the sixth, but the inning remained eventful for him in the bottom half of the frame after he reached base on a walk. After advancing to second base on a single, Wood decided to break for third while reliever Jordan Sheffield was still holding the ball on the rubber.
The Rockies easily snuffed out the stolen base attempt, but Wood went tumbling past the base and landed on his back in foul territory. It was a worrisome moment for a pitcher with a history of back trouble, but after he exited the game in the seventh, Doval and the Giants’ lineup picked up the slack.
_______
