Lincecum Strikes Out 11, Colvin Has Splash Hit As Giants Beat Braves
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- Tim Lincecum struck out 11 in his best start of the year, Tyler Colvin backed him with a home run and go-ahead, two-run triple in the seventh inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 on Monday night.
Lincecum (3-2) left to a roaring standing ovation after pitching a season-high 7 2-3 innings in his first start of eight getting past the sixth.
B.J. Upton hit a tying solo homer in the fifth, then was caught stealing on replay review as the potential go-ahead run in the top of the seventh.
Upton hit a one-out double and was ruled to have stolen third on a slide below a reaching Pablo Sandoval. Giants manager Bruce Bochy challenged the call by third base umpire Dana DeMuth, and it was overturned in 2 minutes, 7 seconds.
San Francisco, coming off a 7-3 road trip to Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, won for the sixth time in seven home games. Atlanta had won three in a row.
Lincecum struck out 10 or more for the 36th time in his career and first since last July 28 against the Cubs. He retired Chris Johnson on a swinging strikeout to end the sixth with runners on first and second.
Promoted from Triple-A on Saturday, Colvin splashed a solo homer into McCovey Cove beyond the right-field arcade in the second -- the 65th Giants homer to reach the water. Brandon Crawford had the other this season, on April 13 against Colorado.
Giants leadoff man Angel Pagan produced his fourth three-hit game of the season.
Javier Lopez surrendered Freddie Freeman's ninth-inning splash homer, then Sergio Romo finished for his 13th save. It marked the first game with two splash homers since Barry Bonds did it by himself on May 18, 2002.
Gavin Floyd (0-1) remained winless after his second start of 2014.
Floyd struck out eight over 6 1-3 innings in his first outing against the Giants since 2008. The right-hander was 2-0 against the Giants and won in his only previous appearance at AT&T Park while with the White Sox.
Braves left fielder Justin Upton returned after being held out Sunday. He bruised his lower back Saturday when hit by a pitch from Chicago's Jeff Samardzija.
NOTES: The Braves don't have to face former Atlanta pitcher Tim Hudson this series, and that's fine with manager Fredi Gonzalez. "It's not all bad. I'd like to say hi to him and hug him," Gonzalez said. ... Giants 1B Brandon Belt has opted to undergo surgery on his broken left thumb to have two pins inserted. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Tim McAdams on Tuesday at Stanford. Michael Morse made his first start at 1B since last July 31 at Boston while with Seattle. He made a fielding error in the sixth. ... San Francisco reinstated LHP David Huff from the 15-day disabled list and optioned OF Juan Perez to Triple-A Fresno. ... The Giants are in the middle of a 17-day stretch without a day off.
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