Johnny Cueto silences Rockies in Giants' 8-2 win

SAN FRANCISCO - Johnny Cueto pitched seven effective innings, Brandon Crawford and Chris Marrero homered, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 8-2 on Friday night.

Cueto (3-0) allowed two runs and six hits while winning his third consecutive start to begin the season. The right-hander struck out six and walked one.

The Giants jumped in front on Marrero's first career homer in the second, a drive to left off Tyler Anderson (1-2) after Eduardo Nunez walked with two out. It was Marrero's 144th at-bat in a major league career that goes back to 2011.

The 28-year-old Marrero, a first-round pick by Washington in 2006, is in his 12th year in pro ball and logged 4,005 at-bats in the minors. He went 2 for 3 after going into Friday hitting .056.

Anderson lasted just four innings. The left-hander allowed four runs and five hits, and also was charged with two balks - matching a franchise record.

Crawford, who connected for his second homer in the fourth inning, was in the lineup for the first time since his sister-in-law's death earlier this week.

Both Rockies runs scored in the fifth after Tony Wolters knocked the ball out of Giants second baseman Joe Panik's glove on his way to second on a grounder off Stephen Cardullo's bat with the bases loaded.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants catcher Buster Posey is ramping up baseball activities, and all indications are he is on target to come off the seven-day disabled list for concussion symptoms Tuesday when the Giants open a series in Kansas City.

Posey took swings off a tee and in a cage on Friday, and will start running the bases over the weekend. Posey is expected to be the Giants' DH in the Royals series. He could play first base next weekend at Colorado.

“We have to get him through the weekend and see where we're at before we're ready to announce that we're set to go in Kansas City,” manager Bruce Bochy said.