Justin Verlander earns a win in final start of year as Giants hold off Rockies 4-3

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Justin Verlander struck out seven and walked one over six innings to win his final start in a challenging year, and the San Francisco Giants held off the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Saturday.

Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the second inning to support Verlander (4-11), who received 62 total runs of support in his 29 starts.

T he 42-year-old right-hander signed a $15 million, one-year contract in January and wrapped up his 20th major league season with career start No. 555 — which ranks 27th all-time. He also tied Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 34th place on baseball’s career win list with 266.

Rafael Devers added a key RBI double in the eighth for insurance before Colorado's Jordan Beck homered in the ninth off Ryan Walker. Walker then surrendered Brenton Doyle's double and was done after walking Kyle Karros one out later.

Spencer Bivens entered and struck out Warming Bernabel, then plunked Ryan Ritter to load the bases. Third baseman Matt Chapman then made a tough catch in foul territory on Ezequiel Tovar's popup to end it as Bivens earned his second save.

Hunter Goodman homered in the first before Doyle connected the next inning for Colorado, which lost its fifth straight.

After Schmitt's home run, Kyle Freeland retired the next 12 San Francisco hitters in order until Heliot Ramos singled to start the sixth.

Freeland (5-17) was tagged for three runs on three hits in six innings.

The Rockies' 118th defeat is the most in NL since the 1962 Mets lost 120.

Key moment

Tovar hit a two-out triple in the fifth before Verlander issued a four-pitch walk to Goodman. Then, Blaine Crim struck out swinging as Verlander escaped unscathed.

Key stat

The Giants improved to 10-2 against the Rockies this season. Their best showing vs. Colorado came during the club's NL West-winning 2021 season when they went 15-4.

Up next

RHP McCade Brown (0-4, 7.54 ERA) pitches the season finale for the Rockies opposite Giants All-Star RHP Logan Webb (14-11, 3.30), who is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 13 strikeouts facing Colorado this year.

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