Colorado @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2013 ) San Francisco 4, Colorado 5
Postseason hopes are a distant memory for the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants, but the struggling squads still are focused on moving up in the National League West standings as they begin a three-game series Monday. The visiting Rockies are tied with San Diego for third place in the division after the Padres completed a three-game sweep of Colorado with a 5-2 win on Sunday. The Giants are only 1 1/2 games behind them following Sunday's 3-2 win in 11 innings over Arizona.
The Rockies' bats were quiet in San Diego, managing a total of six runs in three games, but they hope to get the offense going against right-hander Tim Lincecum, who they've rocked for 16 runs and 18 hits over 18 innings in three meetings this year. Colorado hopes right-hander Jhoulys Chacin can pick up where he left off on Aug. 28, when he held the Giants hitless through 6 2/3 innings and matched a season high with nine strikeouts. San Francisco has been without Buster Posey for the last four games because of a fractured right ring finger, but the reigning NL MVP took batting practice on Saturday and hopes to return this week.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (13-8, 3.16 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (9-13, 4.50)
Chacin put together a string of 10 straight starts with three or fewer runs allowed before getting tagged for four in seven innings of a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Venezuelan has worked at least seven frames in eight of his last nine outings. He is 5-5 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 meetings (12 starts) with San Francisco, including a 2-1 mark this year.
Lincecum has won three straight starts but he needed plenty of run support in the most recent one, as he allowed five runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 13-5 victory at San Diego on Wednesday. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has recorded only one quality start in his last five outings. Lincecum is 11-9 with a 4.04 ERA in 26 career starts against Colorado.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu is riding a career-best 10-game hitting streak. He has recorded six multi-hit performances and is batting .390 with three doubles and four RBIs during the run.
2. Giants RF Hunter Pence has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games. Pence is 4-for-16 with six strikeouts versus Chacin.
3. Chacin has factored in the decision in each of his last seven starts and 15 of his last 16.
PREDICTION: Giants 4, Rockies 2