Ezequiel Tovar homers for a 3rd straight game, Rockies hang on to beat Giants 4-3

DENVER (AP) — Ezequiel Tovar homered for a third straight game, breaking a tie with a two-run drive in the fifth inning, and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Saturday night.

Kyle Freeland (2-3) went six innings and allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits in a fifth consecutive quality start since being reinstated from the injured list June 23 after missing two months due to a left elbow strain. He struck out four and walked one to win back-to-back decisions for the first time this season. Freeland said he threw all four of his pitches for strikes, allowing him to keep Giants batters on the defensive. “I was filling up the zone," he said. "Putting yourself in good counts and allowing the defense to work for you, that’s huge as a starting pitcher. If we continue to do that, you're going to see a lot of games like this, where starters are going to go deep into games and we’ll come out with wins.”

Tyler Fitzgerald, batting ninth in the order, doubled and homered to drive in two runs for the Giants. Wilmer Flores had a run-scoring double after Matt Chapman reached with two outs in the sixth on shortstop Tovar’s fielding error.

Logan Webb was coming off his worst start of the season. He had matched a career-high when he allowed seven runs in five innings in a 10-6 loss to Toronto on July 10.

Webb (7-8) kept the Rockies in check until Sam Hilliard singled to start the fifth. One out later, Tovar hit one over the left field fence for his 16th home run of the season.

Tovar said he connected on a slider that came in over the middle of the plate and the reaction of the 44,178 fans told him it was out of the park.

“It was more the atmosphere of the crowd. That’s when I knew that I hit it that far,” Tovar said through an interpreter. His homer traveled 455 feet, the longest of his career.

Webb went six innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. He walked four and struck out four. “I have to be better. I know that," he said. "I’m pretty frustrated with the way I’ve been performing the last couple of games.”

Fitzgerald homered off Freeland in the third and doubled home Mike Yastrzemski, aboard with a triple, in the fifth.

Nick Mears pitched two hitless innings in relief, starting his outing by striking out four in a row, and Victor Vodnik pitched a hitless ninth for his third save. “Nine batters faced, nine outs. That's pretty good for the bullpen," Mears said. TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: LHP Robbie Ray pitched impressively in his latest rehab outing and manager Bob Melvin said there’s a “good chance” the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner could make his Giants’ debut during San Francisco’s four-game series at the Los Angeles Dodgers that begins Monday. Melvin described Ray’s impending return as a “big deal.” The Giants acquired Ray in an offseason trade with Seattle. He’s bidding to make his first appearance since undergoing reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow in early May 2023. Ray pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday night, allowing one hit. He struck out seven and walked two.

Rockies: C Elías Díaz left the game with right calf tightness and was replaced in the third inning by C Jacob Stallings. INF-OF Kris Bryant was slated to make his second rehab start Saturday night as a designated hitter for Triple-A Albuquerque after going 0-3 in his initial appearance on Friday night. Bryant, sidelined by a left rib contusion since early June, is expected to play for Albuquerque again on Sunday. It’s anticipated he’ll be re-evaluated after the weekend and could possibly rejoin the Rockies next week.

UP NEXT

Rockies LHP Ryan Feltner (1-9, 5.36 ERA) will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak when he takes the mound in Sunday’s series finale against the Giants, who are scheduled to start RHP Hayden Birdsong (1-0, 3.72 ERA).

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Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, center, is congratulated by relief pitcher Nick Mears, left, and Charlie Blackmon after a baseball game against the against the San Francisco Giants Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Erik Miller works against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Victor Vodnik works against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants' Matt Chapman flies out against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Victor Vodnik in the ninth inning of a baseball game ,Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants' Tyler Fitzgerald, front, gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run as Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings looks on in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants third base coach Matt Williams, left, congratulates Tyler Fitzgerald as he circles the bases after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants' Tyler Fitzgerald, left, celebrates after his solo home run with Luis Matos in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Brenton Doyle grounds out against San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb to end the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)APOTIX

San Francisco Giants' Tyler Fitzgerald, front, slides into second base with an RBI double as Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers fields the throw in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski follows the flight of his triple off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland stares at home plate umpire Chris Conroy while disagreeing with a call in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar heads up the first-base line after hitting a two-run home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior was sent off with a direct red card for pulling the hair of a Villarreal player in their La Liga game on Saturday.

Vinícius was celebrating after scoring for Madrid when referee Isidro Díaz de Mera was called by the video assistant to review the moments before his goal.

The referee waived off the goal and pulled out a red card for Vinícius for having tugged hard on the hair of Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba when they were sprinting down the field.

Madrid hung on for a 1-0 victory despite playing with 10 men from the 73rd minute.

Vinícius asked for forgiveness from his team and fans on social media, without mentioning Saliba.

“Sorry to my team and my fans,” Vinícius wrote on Instagram in Spanish.

Vinícius had gone on as a second-half substitute shortly before Yan Diamonde put Madrid ahead. When he thought Vinícius had doubled the lead, Madrid manager Jose Mourinho ran to join the celebrations with his players.

But moments later Vinícius was left livid by the referee's decision. He screamed at Díaz de Mera while his teammates tried to calm him down as he left the field.

“I don’t think he meant to hurt anyone but it is a red card,” Villarreal defender Juan Foyth said about the hair yank of Saliba.

Díaz de Mera wrote in his match report that after being shown the red card Vinícius “protested my decision, raising his voice, toward where I was standing in an aggressive manner, and being held back by teammates."

Madrid visits Barcelona in two rounds. So he could potentially miss the clasico if the disciplinary commission adds to a mandatory one-game suspension.

Mourinho did not appear at the mandatory post-game press conference.

Vinícius also became one of the leading voices against racism in Spain after he was repeatedly targeted by racist slurs by opposing fans during away games.

But he has also earned the reputation of a player who goads and trash talks opposing players, sometimes to the point where he could lose focus on the game, an attitude which sometimes tested the patience of his coaches.

Diomande broke through for Madrid just when Villarreal was also pressing for goal, scoring in the 62nd minute.

The 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger has been under pressure to prove he is worth the reported 125 million euros ($146 million) Madrid paid Leipzig in August. Mourinho has asked fans to be patient with the young player.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho reacts during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho argues with a referee during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)