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Rockies-Giants Preview

Jun 2, 2010 - 6:53 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Colorado (27-24) at San Francisco (27-23), 10:15 p.m. EDT

The San Francisco Giants have struggled to score runs this week against the Colorado Rockies, who are one win away from sweeping a road series for the first time this year.

With Matt Cain on the mound Wednesday, the Giants may not need much offense.

Cain pitched a one-hitter in his last start and was just as dominant against Colorado last month, and he'll try to silence the Rockies again as the NL West rivals finish their three-game set in San Francisco.

The Giants (27-24) had totaled 28 runs during a four-game winning streak entering this series, but they were blanked by Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez in Monday's 4-0 defeat before losing 2-1 in 11 innings Tuesday.

The losses marked the seventh and eighth times that San Francisco has been held to fewer than two runs in the club's last 19 games. When scoring at least two runs in that stretch, the Giants are 9-2.

Cain (3-4, 2.50 ERA) fell victim to lack of run support May 22 at Oakland, allowing one unearned run in eight innings of a 1-0 defeat while losing his third straight start, but he responded in impressive fashion Friday against Arizona.

Mark Reynolds' second-inning double was the only hit allowed by Cain, who struck out nine and walked none in his third career shutout.

"You try to take what happened in the last start and get better from it," Cain said. "It felt good from the beginning. ... I was definitely able to locate both sides of the plate."

Cain also allowed only one hit May 1 against Colorado, pitching eight scoreless innings in a 6-1 win. He improved to 9-6 with a 3.09 ERA against the Rockies, having silenced some of Colorado's biggest bats throughout his career.

Carlos Gonzalez is hitless in 11 at-bats against Cain, while Brad Hawpe is 3 for 28 (.107) with 11 strikeouts and Todd Helton is 9 for 42 (.214).

Rockies left-hander Jeff Francis will be looking to win his fifth straight start against San Francisco, but he hasn't faced the Giants since 2008.

Francis (1-1, 2.89) missed all of last season and the start of this year due to shoulder problems, but made a successful comeback by allowing one run in 13 1-3 innings in his first two starts of 2010.

His third outing, Friday against the Dodgers, wasn't as sharp. Francis began with four scoreless innings but gave up five runs - including two home runs - while lasting 5 1-3 innings in a 5-4 loss.

"I started getting under the ball," Francis told the Rockies' official website. "The ball didn't have that life on it that it usually does. I was just trying to create something I had in the first few innings and, for some reason, it was something I couldn't grasp in the sixth."

The southpaw hopes to help Colorado to a season-best fifth consecutive road win. The club has won eight of 10 overall to leapfrog the Giants in the crowded NL West standings.

"We're playing good baseball," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "Our mindset is really good right now. We're in a very good place."

The Rockies (28-24) went 2-7 at San Francisco last year, but they're 3-2 there in 2010. Tuesday's victory - capped by Clint Barmes' fourth RBI of the series - ensured they'll be the second of 10 visitors to AT&T Park to win a series.