San Francisco @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2010 ) Colorado 1, San Francisco 2

The San Francisco Giants used an offensive explosion to regain first place in the National League West. Now they have the chance to push the Colorado Rockies out of the division picture.

The Giants look to put some distance between them and the Rockies tonight as the teams open a three-game series at Coors Field.

San Francisco had scored two runs or fewer in nine of its previous 13 games, but it erupted for nine in the second inning alone Thursday en route to a 13-0 beating of the Chicago Cubs. The explosive inning saw Jose Guillen get hit by a pitch twice and starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner hit a pair of singles, but the most impressive performance came from Juan Uribe.

Uribe began the uprising with a two-run homer and ended it with his fifth career grand slam, completing his ninth multi-homer game in the majors. He became the first Giant to homer twice in the same inning since Bengie Molina accomplished the feat against the New York Mets on May 7, 2007.

The win, along with San Diego's 3-1 loss to Los Angeles, put San Francisco back atop the NL West, one-half game ahead of the Padres. The teams will end the regular season with a three-game showdown at AT&T Park.

Bumgarner tossed seven scoreless innings to extend the Giants starting pitchers' streak of 17 consecutive games of allowing three runs or fewer. The major league record of 20 straight was set in 1917 by the Chicago White Sox.

San Francisco's rotation has posted a 1.22 ERA over its last 12 contests, yielding just 10 earned runs in 74 innings.

The Rockies fell 3 1/2 games behind the Giants after Thursday's 10-9 loss at Arizona. Colorado fell behind 8-2 before MVP candidate Carlos Gonzalez hit his first career grand slam in the seventh inning.

Stephen Drew and Chris Young belted solo shots to give the Diamondbacks a 10-6 advantage. Gonzalez hit a two-run single and Troy Tulowitzki followed with an RBI groundout to get Colorado within one, but after Juan Gutierrez walked Jason Giambi to load the bases, he struck out Melvin Mora to seal the win for Arizona.

It was the fourth straight loss for the Rockies, who look to youngster Jhoulys Chacin to keep them afloat in the playoff race. Colorado also trails the Atlanta Braves by 3 1/2 games for the wild card.

Chacin has won each of his last four decisions, including a 12-2 victory at Los Angeles on Saturday in which he scattered nine hits over eight scoreless innings. He will be facing San Francisco for the third time this year and first since allowing three runs and five hits over six frames in a 6-3 triumph on July 2.

Two months earlier, Chacin limited the Giants to one hit in seven innings en route to a 4-1 win at San Francisco.

The 22-year-old is 5-3 with a 4.16 ERA in 13 games - three relief appearances - at home in 2010.

Two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum gets the call for the Giants. The right-hander had his three-game winning streak snapped Saturday, when he yielded two runs and six hits in five innings of a 2-1 loss to Milwaukee.

Lincecum owns a 6-5 record and 3.55 ERA in 14 career starts against the Rockies. He is 1-2 with a 3.66 ERA in three outings this season, losing the first two meetings before holding Colorado to one run and five hits over eight innings on Sept. 1 en route to a 2-1 victory.

In 15 starts on the road this campaign, the 26-year old Lincecum is 6-3 with a 3.34 ERA.

San Francisco has won nine of its last 12 road games.