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Rockies-Giants Preview

Aug 28, 2009 - 6:51 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Colorado (72-56) at San Francisco (69-59), 10:15 p.m. EDT

Just four days ago, the wild card-leading Colorado Rockies wrapped up a thrilling series with an improbable come-from-behind victory over the San Francisco Giants.

The NL West rivals get to do it all again this weekend.

The Rockies will look to increase their three-game lead over the Giants, who seek to avenge the recent difficult defeat in Friday's opener of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

Entrenched in a tight race for the wild card, Colorado (72-56) and San Francisco (69-59) met four times last weekend at Coors Field. The Rockies lost the opener before rallying to win the final three contests.

No comeback was more dramatic than the one in Monday's finale.

Tied at 1 after 13 innings, the Giants scored three times in the top of the 14th, but it wasn't enough. The Rockies rallied for five runs in the bottom of the inning as Ryan Spilborghs' grand slam gave them an incredible 6-4 win.

While Spilborghs' heroics set off a wild celebration at home plate, the Giants walked off the field stunned.

"You are going to have ups and downs, but this was as tough a loss as you can have," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Giants bounced back from that disheartening loss by beating Arizona twice in a row before losing Thursday's series finale 11-0.

Colorado, meanwhile, carried positive momentum into its series with NL West-leading Los Angeles. The Rockies beat the Dodgers in the opener, but dropped the next two to fall four games out of first.

"We didn't win this series, but we won this homestand," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said after Thursday's 3-2 defeat. "We're still in a wonderful position."

To set the tone Friday in San Francisco, Tracy hopes Ubaldo Jimenez (12-9, 3.36 ERA) can keep pace with Tim Lincecum (12-4, 2.43).

That wasn't a problem for Jimenez last weekend.

Jimenez outdueled Lincecum in Sunday's 4-2 victory, handing the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner his first loss since July 22. The Colorado right-hander gave up two runs and six hits with nine strikeouts in eight innings, while Lincecum allowed three runs, three hits and a season-high five walks in seven innings.

Jimenez has been outstanding lately, posting a 1.63 ERA while winning his last five starts and going 6-0 with a 2.45 ERA in eight outings since the All-Star break. He's also had little trouble against the Giants, going 3-1 with a 2.09 ERA in seven starts versus San Francisco since the start of last season.

While Jimenez has made nine consecutive quality starts, Lincecum hasn't been pitching his best.

The Giants ace is 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA in his last four starts after going 6-1 with a 1.34 ERA in his previous eight. The right-hander hopes to turn things around at AT&T Park, where he's 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in his last six outings.

Lincecum hasn't had much luck against the Rockies, though, going 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA the last three times he's faced them.

Colorado first baseman Todd Helton has been one of Lincecum's biggest nemeses, going 8 for 15 with a homer and a double lifetime against him and breaking up his no-hit bid in the sixth inning Sunday.

The Giants will likely be without two of their top hitters - third baseman Pablo Sandoval (tight calf) and catcher Bengie Molina (tight right quadriceps). Sandoval leads the team in batting average (.331), home runs (19) and RBIs (73), while Molina is second on the club in homers (16) and RBIs (67).