Luis Matos hits a 3-run homer and Matt Chapman has 4 hits in Giants' 14-4 win over Rockies

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Luis Matos hit a three-run homer and had a career-high six RBIs to continue his hot streak, Matt Chapman went 4 for 4 and scored three runs and the San Francisco Giants used 18 hits to rout the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

The Giants have won three straight for the first time this season. They were the last team in the majors without a win streak of three or more games.

"We’re swinging the bat really well and I think the vibe in the dugout is probably as good as it’s been," manager Bob Melvin said.

Matos, who drove in five runs Friday night, has RBIs in his last six games and set a franchise record with 17 RBIs in his first six games of the season with a plate appearance. With Jung Hoo Lee out for the season, the 22-year-old Matos figures to keep seeing playing time in center field. He also took away a potential extra-base hit from Ezequiel Tovar with a leaping grab in the fifth.

Matos was hitting just .218 in 31 games with Triple-A Sacramento before being called up for the second time this season last week. He said he's proud of having success in the majors. He's seeing the ball really well and trusting himself more both at the plate and in the field.

“I'm not the one in the stressful situation,” Matos said through interpreter Erwin Higueros of RBI chances. “The pitcher is the one that’s trying to get me out. So I have the upper hand.”

Matos put the Giants ahead with a three-run homer in the first inning, hit an RBI double in his second at-bat to give San Francisco a 6-3 lead and then knocked in two more runs in the eighth with a bases-loaded single as part of a six-run inning.

“I’m just trying to get on base for him,” Chapman said. “I mean, he’s been doing unbelievable.”

Colorado dropped the first two games in San Francisco after winning seven straight. Tovar had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.

San Francisco has won each of the last seven starts by Kyle Harrison (4-1), who allowed three runs in five innings.

The Giants knocked Rockies starter Ty Blach (1-2) out of the game after three innings, tagging him for six runs. Blach, who was the Giants’ opening day starter in 2018, faced his former team for the sixth time. The Denver-born 33-year-old was drafted by the Giants in 2012 and has been back and forth between the minors and big leagues with Colorado the last three seasons.

“He's just persistent," Rockies manager Bud Black said before the game of Blach's journey. “He loves to play, loves to compete. He’s got a great way about him. He's a persistent major league player.”

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: C Elias Díaz (left hand soreness) remains out of the lineup, but is expected to return as soon as swelling goes away. ... Díaz’s backup, Jacob Stallings, was sore but available Saturday after being hit by a pitch on the right forearm. Utility player Hunter Goodman made his first career start behind the plate. ... OF Nolan Jones and INF/OF Kris Bryant, who both have strained lower backs, each went 1 for 4 on Friday with Triple-A Albuquerque. They will make two more rehab starts before the Rockies determine whether to bring them up.

Giants: Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell (left adductor strain) is expected to return to the rotation next week, likely Wednesday after pitching well in two rehab starts. ... Another starter, Alex Cobb, is still dealing with a shoulder injury and has not pitched this season so far after undergoing offseason hip surgery. ... With Lee going on the 60-day injured list, the Giants claimed OF Ryan McKenna off waivers from Baltimore.

UP NEXT

RHP Jordan Hicks (3-1, 2.44 ERA) pitches for the Giants against RHP Dakota Hudson (1-6, 6.13 ERA) for the Rockies in the final game of the three-game set.

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San Francisco Giants' Luis Matos runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against Colorado Rockies pitcher Ty Blach during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Kyle Harrison throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Colorado Rockies pitcher Ty Blach throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Luis Matos runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against Colorado Rockies pitcher Ty Blach (50) during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman reacts after hitting an RBI single against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Colorado Rockies pitcher Peter Lambert, right, stands on the field after walking San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski, foreground, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos hits an RBI single against the Colorado Rockies during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' LaMonte Wade Jr. scores against the Colorado Rockies on Luis Matos' single during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Luis Matos, right, celebrates with third base coach Matt Williams after hitting a three-run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Luis Matos hits a two-run single against the Colorado Rockies during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer and scored four times, Mookie Betts also went deep and drove in four runs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the New York Mets 10-2 on Thursday night for a 3-1 lead in their lopsided National League Championship Series.

Betts had a two-run homer and a two-run double among his four hits. Max Muncy extended his streak of reaching base safely to 12 plate appearances, a postseason record, and the Dodgers moved within one win of their 25th pennant — most in NL history.

Game 5 is Friday at Citi Field, with Jack Flaherty expected to pitch for Los Angeles with an opportunity to put his hometown team in the World Series.

New York had not committed to a scheduled starter, but it was likely to be Kodai Senga or David Peterson.

Surprise cleanup batter Tommy Edman had three RBIs, including a tiebreaking double off starter Jose Quintana with two outs in the third inning. Kiké Hernández followed with an RBI single that made it 3-1.

Betts broke open the game, greeting reliever Jose Buttó with a two-run double in the fourth and then right-hander Phil Maton with a two-run homer in the sixth.

Both big hits followed walks to Ohtani, and Betts gave a huge fist pump between second and third as he rounded the bases following his third homer of these playoffs.

Mark Vientos provided a rare highlight for New York, hitting his fourth postseason homer in the first inning off $325 million rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

But the Mets, who were 14-2 in their past 16 games at Citi Field when they arrived back home Wednesday, were blown out on their own turf for the second consecutive night.

New York has been outscored 30-9 in the series, including 9-0 in the opener and 8-0 in Game 3.

The latest flop after a thrilling comeback ride this far into October hushed a sellout crowd of 43,882 and left Citi Field eerily quiet in the late innings — and just about as empty as April.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: All-Star 1B Freddie Freeman missed his second game of the playoffs. Freeman has been playing with a badly sprained and swollen right ankle throughout the postseason.

Mets: Slumping catcher Francisco Alvarez hobbled to first base in pain after getting drilled by Yamamoto's 91 mph sinker to begin the fifth. He was pulled for a pinch hitter with the bases loaded in the sixth.

UP NEXT

Acquired from Detroit at the July 30 trade deadline, Flaherty went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 regular-season starts for the Dodgers and finished 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA overall. He allowed two hits over seven innings to win the NLCS opener 9-0.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a double by Mookie Betts during the fourth inning in Game 4 of a baseball NL Championship Series against the New York Mets, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts celebrates after a two run double against the New York Mets during the fourth inning in Game 4 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts hits a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the sixth inning in Game 4 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in New York (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts celebrates after a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the sixth inning in Game 4 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts celebrates after a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the sixth inning in Game 4 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)