The set-up: The first two games of this four-game series between the Rockies and Giants have seen Colorado win both high-scoring contests, 10-9 (Thursday) and then 10-9 last night! Colorado has dominated San Francisco this season by winning eight of nine meetings, among the reasons why the Rockies are 44-26 (lead NL West by one game over Arizona and LA) and the Giants are 26-43, a whopping 17 1/2 games out with the All Star break just under a month away. The Giants come to Coors Field this afternoon having lost 13 of their last 17 contests.

The pitching matchup: Matt Cain (3-5 & 5.22 ERA) gets the nod for the Giants and Kyle Freeland (7-4 & 3.57 ERA) for the Rockies. Cain lasted just 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision against Minnesota in his last start, allowing five runs on seven hits (Giants won 13-8). It's been a struggle for the 32-year-old vet in 2017, as he's 0-4 over his last five starts, having given up five or more runs in three of the outings. Cain has seen the Rockies a ton in his career, with a 17-10 record and 3.56 ERA in 38 starts (Giants are 22-16). Freeland is a rookie, who lost 7-2 at Pittsburgh in his last start, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. However, he had won four of his previous five outings and on the season, has seen the Rockies go 9-4 in his 13 starts. His only career start against the Giants came on April 23 when he gave up six hits during seven scoreless innings of an 8-0 win.

The pick: Cain ranks 13th among active players with 2,030 1/3 innings pitched and is changing his style as he gets older and his velocity dips. However, the fact (truth) is, Cain hasn't pitched as many as 100 innings in any of his last three season. He had ERAs of 5.57 and 5.64 these last two years (plus WHIPs of 1.50 & 1.51), allowing more hits than IP in each year. He owns a 1.65 WHIP and .303 BAA in 2017, to go along with his 5.22 ERA. Make the Rockies an 8* play.