Colorado @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2011 ) San Francisco 12, Colorado 5
THE STORY: With their hopes of defending their world championship extinguished in the desert, the San Francisco Giants return home to begin a season-ending three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Monday. San Francisco was eliminated from contention for the National League West title by Arizona on Friday, then was bounced from the wild-card race by the Diamondbacks a day later. The Giants were swept away on Sunday and have lost five of their last six overall. Colorado enters having won two straight following a nine-game losing streak.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Colorado), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (11-13, 3.66 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (12-7, 2.81 ERA).
Chacin suffered his third straight loss Tuesday at San Diego despite allowing just two runs - one earned - in six innings. The 23-year-old faced the Giants on Sept. 15 when he yielded seven runs in an 8-5 setback. Chacin is 3-2 lifetime against San Francisco, but 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA at AT&T Park.
Vogelsong got the win at Los Angeles on Wednesday even though he surrendered four runs in five innings. The 34-year-old has won two straight starts after losing five in a row. Vogelsong is 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA against Colorado this year and looking to become the first Giant to record four wins in a season over the Rockies.
ABOUT THE ROCKIES (72-87): Colorado set a franchise record in Sunday's 19-3 triumph over Houston by registering 25 hits. The previous mark of 24 was set on May 3, 2000 against the Montreal Expos and matched on Aug. 2, 2003 at Pittsburgh. Chris Iannetta, who had five RBIs on Sunday, and Mark Ellis both should be in the lineup Monday. Iannetta is 3-for-7 with a homer against Vogelsong, while Ellis has recorded three hits in five at-bats versus the righthander. Manager Jim Tracy will have to find a different position for Iannetta, however, as he said Sunday would be Iannetta's last start at catcher this year so he could get a look at Willin Rosario and Jordan Pacheco behind the plate.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (84-75): Carlos Beltran continued his onslaught against NL West rivals on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a solo homer. He is hitting .386 (68-for-176) with 13 blasts and 34 RBIs in 49 games vs. the West. Beltran is one double away from reaching 40 for the third time in his career. Aubrey Huff is 2-for-12 lifetime against Chacin, with both hits being home runs.
FINAL PITCH: San Francisco failed in its attempt to finish the season with a winning road record. The loss on Sunday put the Giants' final mark away from home at 40-41.