San Francisco @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( May 27, 2016 ) San Francisco 2, Colorado 5

Madison Bumgarner seeks his sixth consecutive victory when he takes the mound for the San Francisco Giants in Saturday's contest against the host Colorado Rockies. The left-handed ace has posted a 1.25 ERA during his six-start unbeaten streak and has allowed a total of 11 hits over his last three outings.

Bumgarner stymied the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, allowing three hits over 7 2/3 innings of a 1-0 victory, and is well on his way to registering his third consecutive 18-win season. He will try to get the torrid Giants back on the winning side of the ledger after they suffered a 5-2 loss in Friday's series opener - just their second defeat in the last 15 games. The Rockies have scored 13 runs while winning their last two games after posting three or fewer runs in six of their previous eight contests. Charlie Blackmon has recorded three two-hit performances in his last five games - he is 8-for-22 with a homer and three doubles during that stretch - and has reached base in a career-best 22 consecutive contests.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (6-2, 2.17 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Eddie Butler (2-2, 3.58)

Bumgarner defeated Colorado on May 6, when he struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings while allowing four runs (two earned) and seven hits. He is 12-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 23 career starts against the Rockies and has experienced success against Nolan Arenado (6-for-28, two homers) while struggling against Carlos Gonzalez (16-for-50, five homers). Bumgarner has given up two earned runs or fewer in eight of his 10 starts and has served up just one homer over his last six turns.

Butler has just six major-league victories, and three of them have come against the Giants - he has a 2.08 ERA in the three wins. He was superb against San Francisco on May 8, when he pitched six scoreless innings and struck out six while allowing four hits and two walks. Butler is 3-5 with a hefty 6.70 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts) at Coors Field.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies SS Trevor Story is 3-for-8 with a homer and four RBIs in two games since being dropped to seventh in the batting order.

2. Giants RF Hunter Pence (hamstring) could be in the starting lineup for the first time since May 20 and 1B Brandon Belt (ankle) expects to play after a one-game absence.

3. Arenado delivered a run-scoring double on Friday but is just 2-for-24 over his last six contests.

PREDICTION: Giants 7, Rockies 3