DENVER — Thairo Estrada hit two of San Francisco’s four home runs, Kevin Gausman pitched seven solid innings and the Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 10-5 on Monday to maintain their one-game lead in the NL West.
The major league-best Giants (88-50) took two of three from the rival Dodgers over the weekend to regain sole possession of first place. Los Angeles won 5-1 in St. Louis on Monday.
Darin Ruf and Buster Posey also went deep to give San Francisco 206 home runs this season. Toronto also connected four times Monday at Yankee Stadium to retain the big league lead with 210.
Handed an 8-1 lead by the fifth, Gausman (13-5) allowed three runs and five hits in giving the Giants’ overworked bullpen a rest. He also singled and scored a run.
It was the first time two Colorado-grown pitchers started against each other at Coors Field. Gausman attended Grandview High School in Aurora, 12 miles from Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, where Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland starred.
Gausman got the better of the matchup, striking out nine with one walk. Freeland (5-7) was tagged for seven runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings and served up four home runs.
Ruf led off the game with his 15th home run and Posey hit his 17th one out later. Estrada had a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run shot in the fifth. Ruf drove in two with a triple to make it 8-1 after five innings.
Mauricio Dubón, who had three hits, had a two-run single in the sixth.
Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Ryan McMahon and Garrett Hampson had solo shots for Colorado.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Mike Yastrzemski was a late scratch from the lineup due to a stomach issue. Steven Duggar started in his place and batted eighth.
Rockies: RHP Peter Lambert (Tommy John surgery) tossed 2 2/3 innings with Double-A Hartford on Sunday. Lambert last pitched in the majors on Sept. 20, 2019.
ROSTER MOVES
San Francisco recalled right-hander Kervin Castro from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned righty Jay Jackson to the River Cats.
SCARY MOMENT
Ruf was a little too aggressive going after Joshua Fuentes’ popup in the seventh. Posey camped under the ball and as he made the catch. Ruf, running in from first base, slid into Posey’s left leg, knocking him down. Posey stood up and stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
RHP Logan Webb (8-3, 2.56 ERA) starts Tuesday for the Giants against Colorado RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (3-6, 6.13).
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
