GAME:
Colorado Rockies (73-83) at San Francisco Giants (82-74)
DATE/TIME:
Tuesday, September 27 - 10:15 PM EST
WHERE:
AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
LINE:
N/A
TOTAL:
N/A
If the San Francisco Giants hope to continue their even-year dominance in this decade, they better alter their fortunes in a hurry. With the National League West title no longer a path to the postseason, the sluggish Giants look to get it in gear when they return home for their final six contests of the regular season - beginning with Tuesday's opener of a three-game set versus the Colorado Rockies.
"Sure you're always disappointed you don't win your division, but right now our focus is keep trying to win games and get there and have a shot at it," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy told reporters after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Colorado on Sunday to win their fourth consecutive division crown. The Giants have struggled since the All-Star break and have dropped six of nine following their 4-3 setback to San Diego on Sunday to cling to the second wild-card spot by one game over St. Louis. All-Star catcher Buster Posey had a two-run single on Sunday, drove in five runs in the series, and went 3-for-8 with two runs scored in two games versus Colorado on Sept. 6-7. The Rockies have dropped four in a row and six of seven overall, but have split the first 16 encounters with the Giants in 2016 after winning the season series in each of the previous two years.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH German Marquez (1-0, 3.48 ERA) vs. Giants LH Matt Moore (11-12, 4.34)
Marquez earned rave reviews in his first major-league start after struggling in his initial three relief appearances. The 21-year-old Venezuelan allowed one run on four hits in five innings of an 11-1 rout of St. Louis on Wednesday. Marquez struck out three Cardinals in that contest, but fanned 126 in 135 2/3 innings with Double-A Hartford en route to earning Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors.
Moore yielded six runs for the second time in four outings after he was shredded by the Dodgers in one inning of work on Wednesday. The 27-year-old's other six-run performance came at the hands of Colorado, with Carlos Gonzalez's grand slam and Nick Hundley's solo shot highlighting the damage in a 6-0 setback on Sept. 5. Moore has been touched for 10 runs on 12 hits with eight walks for a gaudy 11.74 ERA and 2.61 WHIP in two starts versus the Rockies.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco RF Hunter Pence is 18-for-48 with six extra-base hits and nine RBIs versus Colorado this season.
2. Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu, who is batting .376 in September, has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games.
3. Giants SS Brandon Crawford is 5-for-24 in his last eight contests.
PREDICTION: Giants 3, Rockies 2
