Rockies’ Kyle Freeland struggles as Giants romp behind Kevin Gausman

The pridefulness of Grandview High School bested the pridefulness of Thomas Jefferson connected Monday day astatine Coors Field. It wasn’t close.

In a uncommon matchup of Colorado autochthonal starters, Grandview’s Kevin Gausman pitched San Francisco to an casual 10-5 triumph implicit Kyle Freeland’s Rockies. Gausman was sharp, Freeland was thing but.

Gausman, a 2010 graduate, pitched 7 coagulated innings, limiting the Rockies to 3 runs connected 5 hits. He struck retired 9 and walked lone one. After giving up a leadoff solo homer to Ryan McMahon successful the second, helium didn’t springiness up different deed until the sixth erstwhile Raimel Tapia singled and scored connected Charlie Blackmon’s triple. By then, the Giants had the crippled good successful hand.

Garrett Hampson nicked Gausman for a two-out, solo homer successful the seventh.

When Gausman came disconnected the tract astatine the extremity of the seventh inning, the orange-clad Giants fans down the visitor’s dugout gave the right-hander a lasting ovation. No uncertainty truthful did Gausman’s father, Clair, who brought astir of the household to Monday’s game. Clair Gausman is simply a retired sixth-grade subject teacher who moonlighted arsenic a assemblage shot referee. He’s present a assemblage replay official.

The Giants hammered Freeland, a 2011 T.J. graduate, for 7 runs connected 9 hits, including 4 homers. Many of the southpaw’s pitches floated up successful the onslaught zone.

Freeland pitched lone 1 inning successful his past commencement connected Wednesday astatine Texas, departing successful the 2nd inning with a near hep impingement.

Darin Ruf led disconnected Monday’s crippled with a homer to near and 2 batters later, Buster Posey launched a solo changeable to right. Thairo Estrada led disconnected the 4th with a solo blast to near and besides deed a two-run homer to left-center successful the fifth.

David Zalubowski, The Associated Press

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kevin Gausman works against the Colorado Rockies successful the archetypal inning of a shot crippled Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, successful Denver.

Freeland has been coagulated astatine Coors Field this season, and fantabulous successful his past six starts, posting a 2.91 ERA. But his bid mislaid its compass Monday and helium needed 92 pitches (55) strikes to get done his four-plus innings.

With an 88-50 record, the Giants pb the National League West and ain the champion grounds successful the majors. They showed wherefore connected Monday, bullying the Rockies with 15 hits. The Giants’ 206 homers are their astir successful a play since they deed a franchise-best 235 homers successful 2001.

Gausman was not lone precise connected the mound — helium threw 98X pitches, 75 for strikes — helium besides helped himself astatine the plate. In the Giants’ two-run fourth, Gausman fouled disconnected a bunt effort and past swung distant against Freeland, hitting a chopper past drawn-in the drawn-in McMahon for an RBI single. Gausman, who’s batting .200, owns 9 of the 17 hits by Giants pitchers this season.

Monday marked Gausman’s archetypal clip pitching astatine Coors Field — successful beforehand of fans — since he’s been successful the majors. He made 3 starts vs. Colorado past season, going 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA, and 2 of those starts were astatine Coors. But due to the fact that of the pandemic, determination were nary fans successful the stands. And though helium was selected to this year’s All-Star Game successful Denver, helium didn’t transportation due to the fact that helium had made a commencement the time earlier the All-Star break.