Giants hope to avoid historic loss total
DENVER -- As a miserable season winds down, the San Francisco Giants will try to avoid getting swept by the Colorado Rockies.
The three-game series concludes Wednesday at Coors Field.
The Giants (54-87) will have to go 9-12 in their remaining games to avoid losing 100 games for just the second time in the history of a franchise that began play in 1883. The Giants never lost 100 games while in New York before leaving after the 1957 season for San Francisco, where they went 62-100 in 1985.
A 9-6 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday night assured San Francisco of losing another series. The Giants are 3-17-3 in road series this season and have a National League-worst 22-49 road record.
Their overall record is the worst in the majors.
"It wears on you as a manager," said manager Bruce Bochy, who guided the Giants to World Series triumphs in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
"You take ownership to make things happen with the club, and you'd like to think you could do something to help come out of it. And it's been ongoing, really from day one. Opening Day we lost a tough game (6-5 at Arizona). August (13-16) was a little bit better, but it's just one of those seasons of what could go wrong has gone wrong, whether it's our play, our health, you name it. "
Johnny Cueto (6-7, 4.54 ERA) will start for the Giants on Wednesday against the Rockies' Kyle Freeland (11-9, 3.89).
Cueto was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list Friday after missing 45 games with blister issues on his right hand followed by a flexor tendon strain. In his return, he allowed four hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals without figuring in the decision. He left with a 5-2 lead, but the bullpen allowed nine runs in the final three innings of an 11-6 loss.
Cueto is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two starts this season against the Rockies, back-to-back outings on April 14 and April 21. He is 8-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 14 career starts against Colorado and 4-2 with a 3.43 ERA in seven career starts at Coors Field.
Freeland is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts against the Giants in his rookie season, including 2-0 at Coors Field, where he faced them on April 23 and June 17 and allowed one run in 13 innings for a 0.69 ERA.
The Rockies are 15-10 in starts by Freeland, who is 6-6 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 starts at Coors Field. In his latest start, Freeland allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in four innings Friday against Arizona, taking the loss as the Rockies fell 9-5.
Freeland sustained a left groin strain in the first inning of a start Aug. 4 and missed one start while he was on the 10-day disabled list. Since being reinstated Aug. 15, he is 0-2 with a 4.98 ERA in four starts.
The left-hander has thrown 143 1/3 innings in his first season in the big leagues.
"My body feels good, and my arm feels good," Freeland said. "Even into the later innings, like the sixth inning, my stuff still is strong, (velocity) is still holding up."
