Same lineup, similar results as Giants roll

DENVER – The Giants used 81 lineups through their first 106 games, but manager Bruce Bochy didn't have to think long and hard to find the right mix Saturday. Bochy sent out the same lineup out for a second straight day, and the Giants again hammered the Colorado Rockies.

In the 11-6 win at Coors Field, every starting position player had a base hit for the second straight game. Madison Bumgarner was just as effective on the mound, holding the Rockies to just five hits and striking out seven in six strong innings.

Bumgarner lowered his ERA to 3.03 and won his 12th game. His teammates did an even better job of padding their résumés.

A night after reaching base five times, Angel Pagan had four hits, including a homer. Pagan has reached base nine times in two games and scored six runs.

"He's smiling again – I didn't know he had teeth for a while," Bochy said. "(He) would be a real shot in the arm. He's been through his little skids, but when he gets his confidence going, he's fun to watch."

Melky Cabrera had a career-high four walks, and Marco Scutaro had three hits against his former team.

Buster Posey built off Friday's four-hit game, driving in three more runs with his 16th homer of the year and a single. Posey is hitting .453 since the All-Star break with six homers and 25 RBIs.

After the win, Posey said he feels as good as he has all season and is starting to lessen the amount of maintenance work he has to do on his surgically repaired left ankle.

"All in all, I've been happy with the way it's recovered," he said.

The Giants, who were shut out twice last weekend, have 33 hits in the first two games of this weekend's series, the opener of which they won 16-4.

After putting on a show in batting practice, Bumgarner wasn't able to join the hit parade. But he did just fine in his day job. Bumgarner stumbled just once, giving up a solo homer to Josh Rutledge in the sixth.

He struck out at least seven for the fourth straight game while picking up his first road win since June 23.

"He did a great job," Bochy said. "He gave us what we needed."

Notes – The Giants signed veteran Xavier Nady to a minor-league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Fresno. Nady was hitting just .157 in 40 appearances for the Washington Nationals before being released July 29. He had been on the disabled list with right wrist tendinitis before being released.

Nady, 33, is a Salinas native and Cal alum. He has a .271 average and 100 home runs in 11 big-league seasons, including four seasons spent playing for Bochy with the San Diego Padres.

"It's well worth taking a look," Bochy said. "I know him, and he's a big bat with power."

• According to the Denver Post, 22-year-old right-hander Tyler Chatwood will start for the Rockies today. Christian Friedrich had been scheduled to take the mound but was placed on the disabled list after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back.

• Posey was pulled in the ninth inning of Friday night's win, leaving the Giants without a catcher on the bench. With Pablo Sandoval on the disabled list and Emmanuel Burriss in Triple-A, Bochy was asked who his new emergency catcher was.

"He probably doesn't know it yet," Bochy said, smiling, "But it's (Joaquin) Arias."

• Read more articles by Alex Pavlovic

Order Reprint