SAN FRANCISCO -- The Rockies were down to their last strike Friday night when rookie center fielder Nolan Jones ripped an RBI double to right-center field at 114.3 mph off the bat against the Giants’ Camilo Doval, one of the Majors’ most dominating closers.

Jones’ double had little meaning for the 2023 Rockies, who fell, 9-8, for their 89th loss. But maybe the confidence Jones gained by besting such a good pitcher on the road in the ninth inning will prove to be important for the 2024 or 2025 Rockies, if this core group eventually contends for the postseason.

“One day,” Jones said, “I want that matchup to be for a trip to the World Series. I think every situation we’re put in, especially on the road for younger guys, it’s a good learning situation.”

It’s more than that. It’s also a series of tests.

Manager Bud Black and the front office need to know how their youngest players will react in environments like this, on the road, facing a hostile and raucous Friday night crowd of more than 32,000, against a team desperate to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Jones passed the test on a big night at the plate and afield, as he has consistently since the Rockies called him up from Triple-A in late May. Left-handed reliever Evan Justice, in his sixth big league appearance, did not.

With the Rockies and Giants tied, 7-7, in the eighth inning, Black had Justice relieve Jake Bird with runners on first and second and one out. Justice hit his first batter, Blake Sabol, to load the bases. After striking out Luis Matos, Justice walked Wilmer Flores and LaMonte Wade Jr. back to back to force home the go-ahead run and some insurance for the Giants.

The Rockies love Justice’s stuff. He struck out 63 batters in 38 2/3 innings in the Minors this year. He also hit seven batters and walked 26 more. His entry into an extremely tight leverage situation this early into his Major League career was a pressure test.

“It was a learning experience for Evan, for sure,” Black said, “to understand that in the highest critical moments you have to throw strikes. You have to let them beat you. He has a chance to be good in games like today. He better learn from it, because if he doesn’t learn from games like tonight it’s going to be a short career.”

On the flip side, Jones had a five-tool kind of night. He hit for average (2-for-4 with a walk) and power (the ninth-inning double and a solo homer). He also showed off his speed by stealing second base and running a long distance in center to rob Joey Bart of extra bases with a leaping catch at the fence.

Even more impressive, Jones threw a 100.7 mph strike to the plate -- on the fly -- to nail Matos trying to score from second on a Flores single in the third inning with the Rockies leading 3-0.

That was the third-hardest outfield assist in the Majors in 2023, behind teammate Brenton Doyle and Oscar Colas of the White Sox, who each had assists clocked at 100.9.

At 25, Jones is an older rookie and more experienced rookie. He understands what the Rockies are trying to do, and how even in defeat, games like this might pay dividends in years to come when individual players encounter pressure situations in games that truly count.

“I want to win, and I think it’s no secret we all want to win,” Jones said. “But there have been a ton of small takeaways all year for a lot of us.”