SAN FRANCISCO — Jim Tracy was talking about that famous failure-to-launch pad, AT&T Park, Wednesday night.
“We’re facing the three guys at the forefront of their rotation,” said Tracy. “And with what the Rockies are running out there, this isn’t a real good park to think about being in and raising your batting average.”
The Rockies didn’t do much hitting in their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants, but even with Wednesday’s 4-1 loss, they walked away with two wins in three games.
Mission accomplished? No, not after winning Monday and Tuesday. Mission acceptable? Given the Rockies’ road history against the Giants, it was the stuff of 17th Street parades.
The Rockies had lost four consecutive series to the Giants at AT&T Park. Their all-time record in San Francisco was 47-90 before the three-game set, including two losses in three games April 30-May 2.
Of course the Rockies were thinking sweep after winning the first two games, even with Matt Cain, who had thrown a one-hit shutout in his previous outing against Arizona, on the mound.
“It’s hard to do here, I’ll guarantee you that,” said Tracy. “And yet, we’re playing very good baseball right now. Momentum is obviously a huge factor in this game. We’ve done a great job, I really believe, over the last couple of weeks.”
The Rockies had won nine out of 12, but weren’t about to beat Cain (4-4, 2.36). Instead, they had their season-high four-game road winning streak snapped, handing Jeff Francis his second loss in three decisions.
The Giants had 12 hits in 69 at-bats (.174) in the first two games, but the Rockies weren’t much better at 16-for-71 (.225). And you knew Cain was going to be stingy, having allowed 82 hits against the Rockies in 116 2/3 innings.
Colorado jumped ahead 1-0 in the fourth inning on Troy Tulowitzki’s seventh home run. As for the rest of the Rockies’ offensive highlights, maybe they’ll produce some Friday night at Arizona. There certainly weren’t any on this night.
The Rockies’ offensive shortcomings were one thing. Making the loss even more frustrating was Francis’ inability to get the third out in two innings. He hadn’t allowed a two-out hit in his first three starts, but served up four this time, leading to three of the Giants’ four runs.
Francis had the bases empty and two outs in the fifth, but wound up being tagged for a two-run double to No. 8 hitter Aaron Roward, who had been booed in his previous at-bat. One inning later, Bengie Molina drove in the Giants’ fourth run with a single up the middle.
Despite the loss, the Rockies are 6-3 with three games remaining in a key 12-game stretch against National League West rivals Arizona, Los Angeles and San Francisco. They’re 13-11 vs. the West after finishing 33-39 within the division in 2009.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
