Tovar's impressive defense flying under the radar

SAN FRANCISCO -- When the Rockies put multiple losing streaks to bed in Friday's series opener against the Giants, it was nothing short of a full team effort. But the decisive blow belonged to rookie Ezequiel Tovar, who launched a tie-breaking three-run blast in the seventh inning to put Colorado ahead for good.

The following day, Tovar again put on an impressive showing, this time primarily with his glove. In the end, it was not enough to lift Colorado as it fell to San Francisco, 5-3, Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park, setting up a rubber game in Sunday's first-half finale.

The Rockies get a front-row seat to Tovar's ability to flash the leather every night, and they think it's about time that others start tuning in.

"It's not surprising," manager Bud Black said. "I wish that the whole baseball world would take notice of what Ezequiel is doing, both at the plate and in the field."

One of Colorado's hottest hitters entering the day, Tovar went 0-for-4 on Saturday afternoon but made up for his lack of production with a couple of web gems.

The 21-year-old shortstop got a prime opportunity to show off his range in the fourth inning when LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a sharp grounder up the middle. Tovar chased after the ball and slid into the outfield grass to snare it, spinning around as he got to his feet and firing to first for the final out of the frame.

"He's making really good plays," Black said. "I mean, [in the fourth,] that was a really tough play into -- you know, I don't want to say shallow center field, but it was pretty far out there on the grass. … He continues to make plays. It's impressive."

With the leadoff batter on first base and nobody out in the sixth inning, Tovar had another opportunity to show off his defensive acumen. Brandon Crawford grounded a ball up the middle for what could have been a routine out at first. Tovar fielded the ball cleanly, but he redirected at the last moment and stepped on the bag at second base to retire the lead runner.

Tovar wasn't able to turn two, as Crawford narrowly beat his throw to first, but his heads-up decision kept the Giants from threatening to add on with a runner in scoring position.

Defense was Tovar's calling card as he rose through the Rockies’ system, and he should be putting the league on notice. Entering Saturday, he led all qualified rookie shortstops in defensive runs saved (6) and outs above average (5).

But Tovar's spectacular infield defense was not the difference-maker on a day in which the costliest blows to Colorado came via the long ball.

Though the Rockies emerged from the top of the first inning with a one-run lead courtesy of C.J. Cron's two-out RBI knock, their advantage was quickly erased when Michael Conforto took right-hander Connor Seabold deep for a two-run shot in the bottom half of the frame.

Backstop Austin Wynns answered with a solo shot against his former team the following inning, but the Giants scored three more, capped by Austin Slater's pinch-hit two-run blast off Brad Hand in the fifth inning.

Both Seabold and Hand have been stung by the long ball of late.

Seabold has given up nine homers over his past four starts, a stretch that began when he surrendered a career-high four round-trippers to the Braves on June 17. Prior to that, Seabold had allowed seven home runs over his first 15 appearances (eight starts) with the Rockies.

"Connor's learning," Black said of Seabold, who just completed his first full half-season in the big leagues. "Sometimes you learn the hard way."

Through his first 30 appearances this season, Hand did not give up a homer, but he's now surrendered one in three straight outings.

Though the Rockies were able to keep the Giants at bay the night before, they've experienced firsthand how grindy San Francisco's lineup can be. When the division rivals faced off on June 6, Giants batters forced Rockies pitchers to throw 240 pitches -- the second-most at the time in a Major League game this season.

"They don't have many quick outs," Seabold said. "They make you work for your outs, and today, I mean, I felt like I got a bunch of guys [to] two strikes and then they would work their way back in."