Giants hunt heads, bag win

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jun 28, 2000 by Thomas Harding

DENVER - The Colorado Rockies were headed to a rather mundane loss at Coors Field on Tuesday night.

Then San Francisco pitcher Shawn Estes, after keeping Colorado quiet for 73 innings, stirred the Rockies with a pitch behind Tom Goodwin's head.

The Rockies' spirited reaction - Colorado manager Buddy Bell leapt from the dugout, got ejected by home plate umpire Jerry Layne, then traded screams with Giants manager Dusty Baker - did not lead to a victory. Colorado scored four runs in the eighth, but couldn't overcome Rich Aurillia's three hits and four RBI as the Giants won, 12-7.

It did serve to spice up tonight's third game of a four-game series - as well as every other upcoming game between the teams.

Estes (7-3) earned his second victory against Colorado this season by holding the Rockies to four earned runs on six hits. Estes wanted to make Goodwin pay for his steal in the seventh inning of the Rockies' lopsided victory Monday.

"That's not the way to play baseball," Estes said. "I think a veteran like him would know that. That message needed to be sent."

Bell said the etiquette is different at Coors, where runs can occur quickly. But the pitch's location, more than the message, bothered Bell.

"As mad as I am right now, there's no way that I would throw at anybody on the San Francisco Giants' head," Bell said. "They got a guy over there who almost got killed getting hit in the head, Robby Thompson (who suffered a broken cheekbone on a 1993 pitch from San Diego's Trevor Hoffman). It should teach them a lesson, but I guess it didn't.

"Headhunters are no good for this game."

Baker noted that Rockies pitcher Scott Karl hit Jeff Kent, who had knocked one of the Giants' two home runs in the game, the previous inning. He also said he was angry at Bell for pointing at him from the field.

"I ain't starting nothing, but I damn sure ain't taking anything," Baker said.

Bobby Estalella knocked a two-run homer in the second and Kent added a solo shot as the Giants built a 6-3 lead against Rockies starter Kevin Jarvis (2-3), who allowed nine hits in five innings. All of six runs against Jarvis came with two out.

The Giants scored six runs against Colorado's bullpen - one against Stan Belinda and five against Karl.

- Thomas Harding may be reached at tharding@gazette.com Edited and headline by Larry McFarland

Rockies

Giants 12

Rockies 7

Highlights: Rich Aurillia drives in four runs, but it's a battle of brushback pitches late in the game that stirs the passions of both managers.