DENVER (AP) — Mike Yastrzemski hit a three-run homer, one of four long balls by San Francisco, and the NL West-leading Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 7-2 Friday night to become the season’s first 100-win team.
San Francisco started the night leading the Dodgers by a game, with Los Angeles playing later at Arizona. The Giants have won 16 of 20.
Kervin Castro (1-0) tossed two innings for his first major league victory, and the Giants reached 100 wins for the first time since going 100-62 in 2003.
San Francisco blew it open in the seventh. Yastrzemski followed singles by Brandon Crawford and Evan Longoria with his 25th homer off reliever Ashton Goudeau (1-1). The Giants tacked on another on Buster Posey’s RBI single.
Tommy La Stella, Crawford and Brandon Belt had solo home runs to give San Francisco a 3-2 lead after six. La Stella and Crawford had three hits each and Belt finished with two.
San Francisco has 234 home runs, one fewer than the club record set in 2001 when Barry Bonds hit 73. The Giants lead the NL in homers and are second in the majors to Toronto’s 241.
Colorado’s Peter Lambert made his first start since Sept. 20, 2019. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2020 and worked his way back to the rotation.
He allowed two runs on four hits 3 2/3 innings. La Stella hit his second pitch of the game into the seats in left and Crawford blasted his 22nd of the year into the second deck in right in the second inning.
The Rockies scored their runs in the first inning off of starter Alex Wood with RBI singles by Charlie Blackmon and Elías Díaz.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (right elbow strain) allowed a run and four hits in 1 2/3 innings in Thursday’s rehab start at Triple-A Sacramento. … LHP Jake McGee (right oblique strain) threw from 90 feet Thursday. He is hopeful to return for the final weekend of the regular season.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Antony DeSclafani (12-7, 3.23) will face Rockies RHP Jon Gray (8-11, 4.17) on Saturday in the second of the three-game series.
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Michael Kelly, The Associated Press