Jorge Soler hits MLB season-best 478-foot HR, Birdsong strikes out 12 as Giants beat Rockies 3-2

DENVER — Jorge Soler led off the game with the longest homerun In the majors, rookie Hayden Birdsong struck out a personal best 12 batters this season as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on Sunday.

Soler hit the fourth pitch of the game 478 feet to dead center for his 11th home run of the season, giving the Giants an early lead. Tyler Fitzgerald led off the third inning with his second home run 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.

Birdsong (2-0), making his fifth career start, went unhit until Brendan Rodgers’ two-out, two-run homer in the fourth inning. The 22-year-old right-handed pitcher allowed one hit in six innings, his longest outing since signing on June 26. He had the most strikeouts by a San Francisco pitcher this season.

“I was landing curveballs over and over again, the slider was there today, it just felt good,” Birdsong said. “I knew (Rodgers) was on a slider, but I couldn’t quite get it where I needed it, he leaned over the plate and got it.”

Camilo Doval got the final three outs for his 18th save.

Giants manager Bob Melvin was not there to see the victory after being ejected before the first pitch after he and coach Ryan Christensen relayed the lineup to umpire Alex MacKay.

“I just talked too much,” Melvin said. “Refereeing is a tough job, I know, but I probably said too much. I didn’t plan it, 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 about 30 minutes before Sunday’s first pitch.

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

Colorado starting pitcher Ryan Feltner (1-10) struck out six in seven solid innings but is still without a win in 17 starts since April 12.

“I thought he got stronger as the game went on,” manager Bud Black said of Feltner. “A little frustrated early on, but he picked himself up and held it together.”

Giants: RHP Alex Cobb (hip/shoulder) threw five scoreless innings Saturday night for Triple-A Sacramento. Cobb has been on the 60-day injured list since March 25.

Rockies: C Elias Diaz was out of the lineup after leaving Saturday night’s game with what manager Bud Black described as a “minor calf injury.”

Giants: LHP Blake Snell (0-3, 6.31 ERA) is expected to be activated from the injured list to open a series at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night. Snell has been on the IL since June 3 with a groin injury.

Rockies: LHP Austin Gomber (2-6, 4.61) begins a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb