Rockies-Giants Series Grades: Colorado's hitting outperforms their pitching

The Colorado Rockies split a four-game road set with the San Francisco Giants which would normally be reason for much celebration in Rockie Land.

But with the team having the highest expectations in their history, and both of the games they lost feeling like they slipped away, it was still a frustrating series for the Rockies and their fan.

Despite several excellent performances, a few key implosions at inopportune times cost Colorado this time around.

Here are our individual player grades for the four-game series split with the Giants:

Nolan Arenado (A): As is his usual custom, Arenado raked by the bay, throwing out eight base hits and scoring three times, knocking in a pair of runs. He even stole a base. And, of course, he showed his normal brilliance defensively at third.

Trevor Story (A): Eight hits in 20 at-bats including two doubles, three runs driven in and three scored, kept Story’s hot May going. He also made a few spectacular plays at shortstop.

Gerardo Parra (B+): Parra picked up five hits with a double, a run scored, and a stolen base, keeping his personal performance on a solid streak.

Ian Desmond (B): Desi delivered the win in the first game of the series with his four-RBI performance, he also scored five runs in the series and swiped a couple of bags.

Charlie Blackmon (B-): Blackmon broke out of a little mini-slump with four hits, three walks, a home run and five runs scored in the series.

Noel Cuevas (C+): Keeping his streak of singles going, Cuevas added three more and knocked in two runs in the series.

Daniel Castro (C-): Castro came through with just two base hits, but his two-RBI double was a big one and the fact that he has played a decent second base and provided anything at the plate has made the loss of DJ LeMahieu slightly more manageable.

David Dahl (D): He tallied one single in 10 at-bats and did not factor into the scoring. Though, with a focus on putting the ball in play more, he did just strike out once.

Tony Wolters (D): Just one hit in nine at-bats but he caught a heck of a game that the Rockies won on the road in extras.

Chris Iannetta (D-): He went 0-for-11 but drew three walks and scored a run.

Kyle Freeland (B+): Freeland has been in the best groove of any Rockies pitcher lately, nearly making it five straight starts going seven innings, falling just one out short. He gave up just one run on five hits, walked one, and struck out five.

Chad Bettis (B): An ill-timed two-run home run surrendered to Brandon Belt tied the game in the sixth when Bettis had been cruising toward an “A” level start. Still, his six inning, three run effort put the Rockies in a position to win in extras.

Tyler Anderson (C-): Anderson mostly pitched well through his first four innings of work but set the stage for the eventual collapse in the fifth by putting runners on that would come around to score decisive runs. He gave up five earned on six hits, all told.

Jon Gray (D): It’s been a story of extreme goods and bads for Jon Gray and his most recent start fell firmly into the latter category. He didn’t get any help from his defense or the BABIP gods, but Gray could not complete the fourth inning, giving up five runs (though, again, two left on for a reliever) putting his team on their heels in a winnable game.

Adam Ottavino (B+): Otto pitched two innings in his only appearance in the series, going multiple frames for the first time since 2016. He was vital in keeping the Rockies in a position to eventually win in extras, striking out three and allowing one baserunner on an infield single.

Wade Davis (B-): Davis picked up a save in extra innings in his only appearance, walking a pair but nailing down the win.

Jake McGee (C-): For the first time since 2014, McGee worked two innings when the Rockies needed him to, helping to secure the first win in the series. Giving up the big home run to Belt in the final game, followed by a solo shot for Nick Hundley, certainly hurt, but he took that bullet for his manager in a bad matchup with nobody else to go to.

Bryan Shaw (D+): It was an up-and-down series for Shaw who appeared three times in the series, striking out the side in his first game but played a central role in both bullpen collapses, putting Jake McGee in a tough spot in his second outing and giving up a pair of runs in the final game that swung it in favor of the Giants.