Colorado @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2015 ) Colorado 9, San Francisco 3

Nolan Arenado has seized control of the National League homer lead and looks to add to his career-best total when the Colorado Rockies visit the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. Arenado slugged his 42nd homer in Colorado's 9-3 victory on Friday and leads Washington's Bryce Harper (41) and Rockies teammate Carlos Gonzalez (40) with two games remaining.

Arenado also had a two-run double in the series-opening romp and he broke the major-league record for extra-base hits by a third baseman with his 88th, surpassing Atlanta's Chipper Jones (87 in his 1999 NL MVP campaign). The three-RBI outing raised Arenado's NL-leading count in that category to 130 as he concludes a breakout season. The Rockies' victory snapped a three-game slide and was only their fourth in the past 12 games. San Francisco catcher/first baseman Buster Posey is tied for fourth in the NL with a .317 batting average but went 0-for-3 on Friday and is hitless in 10 at-bats over the past three games.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Chris Rusin (6-9, 5.37 ERA) vs. Giants RH Jake Peavy (7-6, 3.66)

Rusin defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn when he gave up four runs (three earned) and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He has struggled on the road and is just 1-6 with a 5.46 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts). Rusin is 1-0 with a 2.01 ERA in three career starts against the Giants and has struggled with outfielder Marlon Byrd (5-for-15) and Posey (3-for-9).

Peavy is 4-0 over his last seven starts with his most recent defeat coming Aug. 20. He received no-decisions in each of his past two outings and has a stellar 1.38 ERA over his last four turns. Peavy is 6-7 with a 3.98 ERA in 21 career starts against the Rockies — he gave up three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings in a win Sept. 5 — and has struggled with Arenado (4-for-9, one homer).

WALK-OFFS

1. Gonzalez is 13-for-32 with three homers and seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

2. San Francisco OF Nori Aoki, who hasn't played since Sept. 3 due to concussion symptoms, wasn't cleared to return and won't play in this series.

3. Colorado SS Jose Reyes is 7-for-18 in four games since returning from a four-game absence due to Achilles' tendon soreness.

PREDICTION: Giants 8, Rockies 7