DENVER—Rookie right-hander Hayden Birdsong struck out 12 over six innings in his fifth major-league start, and Jorge Soler opened the game with the longest home run in the major leagues this season as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 3–2 on Sunday.

Birdsong (2–0) did not allow a hit until Brendan Rodgers’ two-out, two-run homer in the fourth inning. The 22-year-old Birdsong walked just one, the six innings marking his longest outing since being summoned from the minor leagues on June 26. He recorded the most strikeouts by a San Francisco pitcher this season.

“I was landing curveballs over and over again. The slider was there today. Just felt good,” Birdsong said. “I knew [Rodgers] was sitting on a slider. Didn’t quite get it where I needed to. He leaned out over the plate and got a hold of it.”

Soler hit the fourth pitch of the game 478 feet to dead center field for his 11th homer of the season, staking the Giants to an early lead. Tyler Fitzgerald led off the third with his second homer of the series and fourth of the year, and Matt Chapman scored on a passed ball in the fourth inning to give San Francisco a 3–0 lead it never relinquished.

Ryan Walker and Tyler Rogers pitched a scoreless inning of relief apiece before Camilo Doval got the final three outs for his 18th save.

Giants Manager Bob Melvin wasn’t around to see the win after getting ejected before the first pitch. The ejection came after he and bench coach Ryan Christensen delivered the lineup to home plate umpire Alex MacKay.

“I just talked too much,” Melvin said. “Umpiring’s a hard job, I’m aware of that. Just probably said too much. I didn’t plan that. It wasn’t choreographed. I probably went too far.”

Colorado failed to complete a series sweep on the day franchise icon Todd Helton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Helton’s speech was played on the big scoreboard approximately 30 minutes before Sunday’s first pitch.

Helton is the only player elected to the Hall of Fame after spending his entire career with the Rockies.

Colorado starter Ryan Feltner (1–10) struck out six in seven solid innings, but remains winless since April 12, a span of 17 starts.

“I thought he got stronger as the game went on,” Rockies Manager Bud Black said. “A little frustrated early, but he bounced back and kept it together.”

Trainer’s Room

Giants: Veteran right-hander Alex Cobb (hip/shoulder) tossed five scoreless innings for Triple-A Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday night. Cobb has been on the 60-day injured list since March 25th but appears set for a return to the Giants shortly.

Rockies: Catcher Elias Diaz was not in the lineup after leaving Saturday night’s game with what Black described as a “little calf strain.”

Up Next

Giants: Left-hander Blake Snell (0–3, 6.31 earned-run average) is expected to open a four-game road series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.

Rockies: Left-hander Austin Gomber (2–6, 4.61) is set to open a three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox on Monday night.

By Michael Kelly