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Zito Pitches Giants Over Rockies

POSTED: 4:02 pm PDT September 3, 2008

(Sports Network) - Barry Zito was phenomenal on the mound to pick up his third win in four starts, while Scott McClain and Travis Ishikawa drove in three runs apiece, as the San Francisco Giants salvaged the finale of a three-game set with a 9-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Zito (9-16) yielded just two runs on four hits over eight frames with five strikeouts and two walks. Pablo Sandoval went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and scored twice for the Giants, who still only have two wins over their last nine contests. Emmanuel Burriss also drove in a run in defeat.

"I stayed within myself, didn't worry about results or anything like that and let things happen around me," Zito said.

Aaron Cook (16-9) took the loss as he lasted just three frames and was touched for six runs on 10 hits. Clint Barmes had a solo homer for the Rockies, who have dropped four of their last seven. Jeff Baker drove in a run and Garrett Atkins scored a run in defeat.

SF took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Nate Schierholtz clubbed a one-out double to left field and, after Sandoval popped out, came around to score on McClain's single. Aaron Rowand then made it first and second with a single, and Ishikawa closed out the scoring with an RBI single.

Colorado rallied to trim its deficit in half in the second frame. Atkins led off with a double and Chris Iannetta put runners on the corners with a single. Baker then grounded into a force, scoring Atkins to make it 2-1.

Consecutive singles from Schierholtz, Sandoval and McClain scored a run for SF in the third inning, and Rowand's ground out moved the two remaining runners into scoring position. Ishikawa followed with a two-run double to right field and Burriss closed out the scoring with an RBI single, making it a 6-1 affair.

Barmes' homer in the fifth brought the Rockies within 6-2.

The Giants tacked on some insurance runs in the sixth inning off Steven Register. Schierholtz smacked a two-out double to right field and came home as Sandoval followed with another two-bagger. McClain then closed out the scoring with the first home run of his major league career, a two-run shot to left, giving San Francisco a 9-2 cushion.

"It's been a long haul," McClain said. "I've had a lot of people pulling for me and a lot of family on my side making it easier for me. It's been a lot of fun."

Game Notes

Zito threw a season-high 123 pitches...Despite a 66-75 record, the defending National League champions are hanging around in the playoff race. The Rockies are six games behind Arizona for first place in the NL West...Colorado has won eight of its 15 matchups with the Giants this season.

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