Rockies back Hernandez with 3 homers, crush Giants

SAN FRANCISCO -- Clint Barmes would like nothing more than to be an everyday player again, perhaps even playing one position.

"I'll take what I can get, that's for sure," said Barmes, who bounces between second base and shortstop for the Colorado Rockies.

And the club's other Clint -- manager Clint Hurdle -- surely will take more performances like Barmes' latest standout effort.

Barmes homered, doubled in two runs and singled twice, Garrett Atkins hit a three-run homer and the Rockies routed the San Francisco Giants 15-6 on Wednesday night.

Barmes scored four times and finished with four RBIs. Jeff Baker hit a solo homer, Chris Iannetta's two-run double in the first staked the Rockies to an early lead and Matt Holliday added a two-run double to help Livan Hernandez (3-3) defeat his former club.

"Everyone in here would like to finish strong and finish out the season," Barmes said. "I don't think anyone in here has given up."

Barmes matched his career high with his 10th home run, which he also did in 2005. Barmes, batting leadoff, singled in his first at-bat then hit a two-out solo homer in the second. The four hits equaled his career best.

Barmes moved up in the lineup after center fielder Willy Taveras was scratched with a stress fracture in his right lower leg that will sideline him the rest of the season.

Hurdle called it "borderline genius" moving Barmes up to the leadoff hole.

"That's as good a game as he's had at the major league level swinging the bat and driving in runs," Hurdle said. "He's fun to watch."

Colorado's runs and its 18 hits were the club's most ever in the Giants' 9-year-old waterfront ballpark.

Hernandez, who pitched three-plus seasons for the Giants including his final year during their runner-up finish to the Angels in the 2002 World Series, even had a pair of hits and scored a run. He allowed 12 hits and five runs in seven innings.

Iannetta's two RBIs gave him 65 this year and the single-season franchise record for catchers, moving him past Brett Mayne's 64 in 2000.

"I had no clue," Iannetta said. "I don't pay attention to that stuff. It's cool. It's something I'll look back on this offseason."

John Bowker went 3-for-5 with a home run and scored three times for San Francisco, which lost for the seventh time in its last nine games after dropping Tuesday's series opener 9-4. Nate Schierholtz added three doubles and an RBI as the Giants finished with 15 hits.

"That game started out bad and got progressively worse," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Bowker started at first base, moved to left field, then came back to first in a game where the scorebooks looked much more like a spring training game with all the switches by both teams.

Jonathan Sanchez (9-12) lost for the eighth time in his last nine decisions, done after 3 1/3 innings and just 74 pitches. The left-hander was tagged for seven runs -- matching his season high -- and seven hits.

"He shouldn't be tired. He had trouble getting it where he wanted," Bochy said. "It's a disappointing start for him. He wasn't very good tonight. He's got good stuff and he'll be fine. Right now, he's not consistent with his command and that's not going to work at this level."

The Giants' bullpen wasn't much better. Kevin Correia gave up seven runs and seven hits in two innings.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Giants had nine rookies on the field for the first time this season.

"That's pretty cool," Bowker said. "I looked around and thought, 'This is a young team we have on the field.' I didn't think about they were all rookies."

Game notes
Rockies 1B Todd Helton will have back surgery Tuesday to alleviate a disk problem. ... The Giants scratched 1B Travis Ishikawa after his wife gave birth prematurely to a baby girl, Faith Annabel. ... San Francisco LHP Noah Lowry, out all season following nerve surgery in his forearm, has had a separate setback in his recovery. He has been experiencing discomfort behind his elbow and likely won't pitch in winter ball until later, if at all. "Yeah, there's concern when he's had the setbacks he's had," Bochy said. "But we do have all winter for him." ... Giants LF Fred Lewis, coming off recent bunion surgery on his right foot, is confident he will be fully healthy come spring training.