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Rockies-Giants Preview

Oct 3, 2015 - 7:12 AM Nolan Arenado enters Saturday as the NL's leader in homers, but that could change by the time the Colorado Rockies take the field.

Carlos Gonzalez also has an opportunity to alter the rankings.

Arenado and Gonzalez continue to vie for the league's home run crown as the Rockies face the San Francisco Giants.

Arenado's 42 homers are one more than Washington's Bryce Harper and two ahead of Gonzalez. The Rockies sluggers are trying to become the club's first home run champion since Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga and Larry Walker went back-to-back-to-back from 1995-97.

Harper could impact the race before the Rockies (67-93) and Giants (83-77) take the field since the Nationals have a day-night doubleheader Saturday after being rained out Friday night.

Arenado hit a solo shot before adding a two-run double in Friday's 9-3 win at San Francisco.

He's hitting .338 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs in 17 season meetings with the Giants.

"He's killed us," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said of Arenado, who leads the majors with 130 RBIs. "Just look at his numbers and you know he kills a lot of people. For some reason, we make a lot of mistakes against him."

That's also true at AT&T Park, where Arenado has connected for six homers in seven games this year for his highest career total at any visiting venue.

"Whenever I come to San Fran I guess I get a little more pumped up to come knowing that they're the defending world champs," Arenado said. "The fans are always good, it's always packed. I love that atmosphere and I love being in it."

Gonzalez hasn't homered in nine straight games at San Francisco, batting .237 with two RBIs over that stretch.

San Francisco has dropped three of four games and turns to Jake Peavy (7-6, 3.66 ERA), who's 4-0 with a 2.68 ERA over his last seven starts. The right-hander is also 5-0 with a 2.86 ERA over his last seven home games.

He's been superb in his last four starts overall, going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Peavy reached the seventh for the third time over that stretch Monday, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings of a 3-2 win in 12 over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He's 2-1 with a 4.74 ERA in his last four starts against the Rockies, allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-3 win at Colorado on Sept. 5.

Peavy has had a tough time with Arenado, who is 4 for 9 with a homer off him. Gonzalez, though, is 0 for 5.

The Rockies will counter with Chris Rusin (6-9, 5.37), who is facing the Giants for the first time since tossing a six-hitter in an 11-3 home victory Sept. 3. He has no record in two starts at San Francisco, allowing five runs - two earned - in 13 1-3 innings.

The left-hander is 0-6 with a 6.61 ERA in nine road starts since winning at Philadelphia on May 31.

That doesn't bode well for Rusin, who has struggled greatly in four starts since beating the Giants, going 1-2 with an 8.84 ERA. He got that victory in Sunday's 12-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite surrendering four runs in 5 1-3 innings.

"It's been the best worst year of my life," Rusin told MLB's official website. "I have those really, really bad games and some really, really good games. I've just got to work on keeping consistent, not being a roller coaster."