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Denver, June 12: The San Francisco Giants stretched their winning streak to seven games with another resilient comeback against the beleaguered Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon, wrapping up a dramatic three-game sweep at Coors Field. In a clash that highlighted the chasm between two franchises heading in opposite directions, the Giants rode a wave of late-inning magic, while the Rockies were once again left grappling with familiar frustrations.
Birdsong Delivers Amid Altitude Challenge
On a day when the thin Denver air threatened to turn every misstep into a home run, Hayden Birdsong showed poise beyond his years. The 23-year-old right-hander, making just his eighth MLB start, entered the game with a 2.55 ERA and left it having once again limited the damage. Despite the pressure-cooker environment of Coors, Birdsong held the Rockies to two runs across four-plus innings.
He was backed by a Giants bullpen that has steadily become one of the club’s most underrated assets. Between Erik Miller, Taylor Rogers, and Camilo Doval, San Francisco kept Colorado scoreless the rest of the way, allowing the lineup the breathing room to stage yet another comeback.
Birdsong’s performance was especially significant considering his previous start against the Atlanta Braves, where control issues led to five walks. On Thursday, he appeared more composed, striking out five and limiting Colorado to just two hits before manager Bob Melvin pulled him with a tight leash.
Senzatela’s Struggles Continue
For Antonio Senzatela, the story was a painfully familiar one. The Rockies’ veteran right-hander came into the afternoon with a league-worst 101 hits allowed across 62 innings, and Thursday’s outing did little to reverse that trend. Over four innings, he surrendered multiple scoring chances, including a key rally in the fifth that tilted the momentum irreversibly toward San Francisco.
Despite the 30-year-old mixing his slider and changeup effectively early on, his command waned as the innings progressed. A double from Thairo Estrada and a bloop single by Mike Yastrzemski were enough to chase Senzatela out of the game before he could qualify for a decision.
Senzatela now holds a 6.68 ERA and a 5.38 FIP, a steep drop from the promise he once showed in his breakout 2017 campaign. According to MLB Stats, no pitcher in the majors has allowed more hits this season than the Rockies’ starter.
Giants’ Late-Inning Grit Defines the Series
The defining trait of the 2025 San Francisco Giants has been their unrelenting fight in the later frames. Thursday’s game marked their 20th comeback win of the season, according to NBC Sports Bay Area, and the second in as many days after Wednesday’s dramatic 10–7 rally that saw them score seven runs in the final two innings.
That relentless approach was evident once again. Trailing by two entering the sixth, the Giants found answers through timely base hits and aggressive baserunning. Austin Slater jumpstarted the rally with a sharp single, and Wilmer Flores plated him with a rope down the left field line.
Yastrzemski, who’s been swinging a hot bat in June, delivered again with a two-run double in the eighth that proved decisive. The Giants’ dugout erupted, fully aware that these moments are what separate postseason contenders from also-rans.
Rockies Teeter on the Brink of Infamy
While the Giants celebrated another hard-earned win, the mood in the opposing clubhouse was one of quiet despair. With Thursday’s loss, the Rockies dropped to 12–55, cementing the worst 67-game start in the franchise’s history and the worst in MLB’s modern era.
As per The Denver Post, this skid surpasses even the franchise’s tumultuous expansion years in the 1990s. Despite occasional flashes of competence—like Hunter Goodman’s solo homer and a multi-hit day from Ezequiel Tovar—Colorado has struggled to piece together complete performances.
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer, who stepped in following Bud Black’s resignation in late May, is tasked with an unenviable mission: salvaging pride in a season already lost. “We’re not laying down,” Schaeffer said postgame, according to Reuters. “But we have to execute better. We have to finish games.”
The bullpen, in particular, has been a glaring issue. Over the last 10 games, Colorado relievers have posted a combined ERA north of 7.00, often unraveling in key spots.
A Study in Opposites
What makes this series sting even more for Rockies fans is how fundamentally sound the Giants have looked in contrast. While Colorado has committed the third-most errors in the National League, San Francisco ranks among the top five in fielding percentage. Where the Rockies have struggled to string hits together, the Giants boast one of the league’s highest on-base percentages over the last two weeks.
It’s a convergence of two very different philosophies and timelines. San Francisco, under President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, has leaned into youth, athleticism, and matchup-based baseball. Colorado, meanwhile, is still trying to find its footing post-Nolan Arenado, caught between rebuilding and loyalty to its veteran core.
What’s Next
The Giants now return to Oracle Park for a pivotal homestand against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with playoff positioning on the line in a tightly packed National League West. For Melvin’s squad, the challenge will be carrying this late-game tenacity into a more pressure-packed stretch.
The Rockies, meanwhile, continue their homestand against the Pittsburgh Pirates—a team also in transition. It’s a series that could either provide a much-needed morale boost or further cement Colorado’s freefall.
Regardless, Thursday’s contest offered more than just another tick in the standings. It was a masterclass in mental fortitude from the Giants and a sobering reminder of how thin the margins can be in Major League Baseball.
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