Heliot Ramos homers as Giants beat Rockies for first series sweep this season
Heliot Ramos #17 of the San Francisco Giants hit a solo home run against the Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the six inning at Oracle Park on May 19, 2024 in San Francisco, California.Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
2024.05.19 – Heliot Ramos hit his second big league home run, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Sunday for their first series sweep this season.
Jordan Hicks (4-1) overcame a decrease in his velocity, allowing one run and three hits over five innings with no walks as the Giants stretched their winning streak to a season-high four.
Hicks’ sinker averaged 91.4 mph, down from 95.3 mph this season coming in.
“Overall, I feel like I got stronger as we went,” Hicks said. “But just a little before the game, had my normal meal and water, and just kind of threw it up and then didn’t really have time to get it back in me. So I was just snacking throughout the innings. Overall, I felt pretty good, strong as the game progressed.”
As a result, Hicks’ velocity took a nosedive. The pitcher who averages 96 mph on his sinker was throwing in the low-90s, sometimes dipping into the high-80s, through the majority of his outing. All the bananas and Stroopwafels he could stuff in his mouth in the dugout didn’t kick in until his fifth and final inning when Hicks got Charlie Blackmon to pop out on a 96 mph four-seamer to leave the bases loaded.
Hicks didn’t need his best sinker, or even a settled stomach, to throw five strong innings. The pitcher best known around baseball for lighting up the radar gun to 105 mph before his conversion to starter with the Giants leaned into his low-velocity sinker and blended in more of his splitter and a slider at the top of the zone to retire 11 Rockies in a row after the McMahon home run.
“I told them out there in the bullpen, like, ‘I’ve got 92 today. I’m going to have to work,’ ” Hicks said. “It’s a conscious approach leading into the first inning. I know what I’ve got and I’ve got to try to manage that.”
2024.05.19 (CO Rockies vs. SF Giants) See Full Highlights
Jordan Hicks #12 of the San Francisco Giants pitching against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Oracle Park on May 19, 2024 in San Francisco, California.Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
2024.05.19 (CO Rockies vs. SF Giants) See Full Highlights
2024.05.19 (CO Rockies vs. SF Giants) See Full Highlights
If anything, his queasy day gave Hicks more faith in his sinker at any velocity.
“I really liked my sinker, honestly, at 91, 92,” Hicks said. “There was one that I wish I could have back — the homer — but besides that, I thought it was really effective more down in the zone. It tells me that my sinker is good with pretty much any velocity above 87, 88 in my eyes. I’m very confident in that pitch at any velocity and today just reaffirmed that.”
Sean Hjelle, Luke Jackson, Taylor Rogers and Camilo Doval each pitched a hitless inning to complete a three-hitter. Doval struck out Jake Cave for the final out and remained perfect in eight save chances.
Ramos hit his first home run of the season 402 feet to dead center field to cap a tamer day at the plate for a hot-hitting offense that had scored 24 runs in its two previous games.
Ramos homered in the sixth inning against Victor Vodnik. His other big league homer was last Aug. 12 against Brock Burke of Texas.
“I just wanted to see the ball down, belt-high and just try to put a good swing on it middle-in,” Ramos said.
2024.05.19 – CO Rockies vs. SF Giants (NBC Sports Post Recap)
Heliot Ramos #17 (left) of the San Francisco Giants celebrates with team mates Luis Matos, Center right, and Mike Yastrzemski, right after winning the series against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on May 19, 2024 in San Francisco, California.Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
2024.05.19 – CO Rockies vs. SF Giants (NBC Sports Post Recap)
2024.05.19 – CO Rockies vs. SF Giants (NBC Sports Post Recap)
Ryan McMahon homered in the first inning for the Rockies, who lost their eighth consecutive game at Oracle Park. Colorado arrived with a seven-game winning streak, its longest since 2019, but dropped to 6-19 on the road this season.
“Overall this season, the hitting with runners in scoring position has been frustrating for us,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Today in the fifth and the eighth we had chances, couldn’t get the big hit. … We’ve got to be a little bit more consistent in that regard to win ballgames.”
LaMonte Wade Jr. tied the game at 1 with a fifth-inning RBI single that extended his on-base streak to 19 games, matching a career high.
Matt Chapman drove in another run on an infield single later in the inning for a 2-1 lead. It was Chapman’s 11th straight plate appearance reaching base safely, and his seventh straight at-bat with a hit.
San Francisco added a third run on a fielding error by McMahon at third.
2024.05.19 – CO Rockies vs. SF Giants (Locked On post game)
Matt Chapman #17 of the San Francisco Giants hits an infield single in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the six inning at Oracle Park on May 19, 2024 in San Francisco, California.Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
2024.05.19 – CO Rockies vs. SF Giants (Locked On post game)
2024.05.19 – CO Rockies vs. SF Giants (Locked On post game)
Rockies starter Dakota Hudson (1-7) allowed three runs — two earned — and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Ramos made it 4-1 in the sixth with his first homer this season.
Before the game, Colorado selected the contract of right-hander Matt Koch from Triple-A Albuquerque and designated infielder Julio Carreras for assignment.
The Giants are 23-25 after going 6-3 on the homestand. They begin an East Coast trip Tuesday in Pittsburgh, where pitching phenom Paul Skenes awaits in Thursday’s series finale.
“We’ve done a lot better in every facet here recently during this stretch,” Melvin said. “Third East Coast trip in a row is what it is.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Jake Bird was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. … C Elias Díaz missed his fourth straight game due to left hand soreness. … OF Nolan Jones and INF/OF Kris Bryant, both on the IL with lower back strains, continued their rehab assignments with Triple-A Albuquerque and could return as soon as Tuesday at Oakland.
Giants: LHP Blake Snell (left adductor strain) will come off the IL and start Wednesday at Pittsburgh, according to Melvin. … C Patrick Bailey (concussion) has resumed full baseball activity and will be reevaluated this week.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Cal Quantrill (3-3, 3.66 ERA) seeks his fourth straight win Tuesday night when Colorado opens a three-game series at Oakland. The Athletics counter with RHP Aaron Brooks (0-1, 3.86).
Giants: RHP Logan Webb (4-4, 3.03) opens a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night opposite Pirates LHP Martín Pérez (1-3, 4.86).
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Read more at: San Francisco Giants Media Services / More AP MLB
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