San Francisco @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2012 ) San Francisco 16, Colorado 4

With its cavernous outfield and thin air, Coors Field provides more offensive opportunities than any ballpark in the major leagues. The San Francisco Giants are the latest team to take advantage of the elements – and the Colorado Rockies’ pitching staff. The Giants, who have won seven of their last eight games in Denver, will try to keep their newfound batting prowess rolling when the meet the Rockies on Saturday. San Francisco, which was outscored 45-19 in losing seven of eight games, exploded for a 16-4 victory Friday, its highest output since 2010. The Rockies have a major league-worst 5.45 ERA and their 38-66 record is better than only Houston’s 35-72.

No one can get Buster Posey out these days. The Giants catcher went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer Friday and is 32-for-69 (.464) with five homers and 22 RBIs since the All-Star break. San Francisco remains one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and two in front of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Giants starter Madison Bumgarner is 2-2 with an exceptional 2.84 ERA at Coors Field, including a 4-2 victory April 12. He will oppose Colorado’s Jeff Francis, who is coming off his first loss since July 7.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CS Bay Area (San Francisco), Root Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (11-6, 3.09 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jeff Francis (3-3, 5.43)

Bumgarner, who turned 23 on Wednesday, has recorded four straight quality starts, but has only victory during that span. He is 0-1 with two no-decisions and 26 strikeouts in his last three outings covering 20 innings. Bumgarner allowed two runs and struck out nine in six innings and didn’t receive a decision in the Giants’ 8-7 loss to the New York Mets on Monday. The Rockies’ roster is hitting .293 against him, with Carlos Gonzalez 6-for-17 (two homers, four RBIs).

Francis allowed five runs and six hits in four innings in Colorado’s 11-6 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday to fall to 1-2 with a 6.17 ERA at home. He has alternated good starts with bad ones over his last four outings. Francis is 7-6 with a 4.83 ERA against the Giants, but hasn’t faced them since 2008. Angel Pagan is 2-for-6 against Francis with two homers and five RBIs while Hunter Pence is 2-for-12 with a home run.

WALK-OFFS

1. Hunter Pence is 1-for-12 with an RBI in three games since being traded to San Francisco from Philadelphia on Tuesday.

2. Rockies C Wilin Rosario has homered in two straight games and leads NL rookies with 18. Only Angels phenom Mike Trout (19) has more.

3. Colorado leads the majors with 57 wild pitches – eight more than the Cleveland Indians, including a franchise-record five Friday.