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Jul 25, 2009 - 6:29 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

San Francisco (52-44) at Colorado (52-44), 8:10 p.m. EDT

While Jason Marquis has been one of the biggest contributors in Colorado's resurgence into the National League wild-card race, Jorge De La Rosa also has made significant contributions for the Rockies.

De La Rosa looks to win his sixth consecutive start as the Rockies continue their series with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night at Coors Field.

Marquis is tied for the NL lead with 12 victories, but De La Rosa (7-7, 4.95 ERA) has overcome an 0-6 start with his recent strong pitching. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his last five starts after limiting the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run and four hits in a 10-6 victory Monday.

"When he throws the ball for strikes early in the count, it opens the door for a hitter to have to stand there and think about more than just one pitch and one location," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "He becomes awfully tough to deal with."

Tracy doesn't have to convince San Francisco. De La Rosa is 3-0 with a 1.07 ERA in four career starts versus the Giants (52-44), who are hitting .182 against him.

While San Francisco has struggled at the plate recently - hitting .213 in the first eight games of its trip - so was Giants left fielder Fred Lewis, until Friday's series opener.

Lewis, who was batting .136 in his previous 12 games, went 3 for 3 and was a homer shy of the cycle in Friday's 3-1 win over Colorado (52-44) that pulled the Giants even with the Rockies for the wild-card lead.

"His playing time picked up and he's taking advantage of it," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He had a good game out there."

In a 15-2 victory at Coors Field on May 13, 2007, Lewis hit for the cycle with a career-best five hits.

Right fielder Nate Schierholtz's solo shot in the fourth inning on Friday was San Francisco's first home run in eight games.

After Giants right-hander Matt Cain took a no-hitter into the fifth inning en route to his 12th win, teammate Jonathan Sanchez (3-8, 4.68) gets the ball Saturday for the second time since no-hitting San Diego on July 10.

The 26-year-old left-hander did not factor in the decision in Monday's loss at Atlanta after giving up three runs and four hits.

"I felt the same (as during the no-hitter)," Sanchez said following his six-inning outing. "I was comfortable. Everything was working. I had a good slider and good location."

Sanchez, though, surrendered a pair of homers, including a second-inning solo shot to Garret Anderson that was the first home run he had allowed to a left-handed batter in 2009.

Sanchez is 0-2 with an 8.71 ERA in his last two starts versus Colorado - both in Sept. 2008.

Center fielder Aaron Rowand, who has missed two straight games with a bruised right forearm, and shortstop Edgar Renteria (sore right elbow), could both return for the Giants on Saturday.

The Rockies have lost four of seven at Coors Field after winning 15 of their previous 19 home games.