The set-up: The Giants lost once again on Labor Day, 6-0 at Colorado. San Francisco is now a major league-worst 16-31 since the All Star break, a slide that includes 18 losses in their last 25 road games. The Giants are hitting a woeful .219 (91-for-416) with runners in scoring position in the second half. Bruce Bochy had hoped that the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field was going to help but the Giants were blanked on Labor Day by Bettis (complete-game, two-hitter), who entered the game with an ERA of 5.00-plus. The Rockies are going nowhere at 66-71 and for the second straight year have been disappointing at home (Rockies were 36-45 in 2015 and check in this year at a modest 36-34).

The pitching matchup: Jeff Samardzija (11-9, 4.06 ERA) starts for San Francisco and Tyler Anderson (5-5, 3.43 ERA) for Colorado. Samardzjia has again underachieved but he's pitched well in his few appearances vs. Colorado in his career, going 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA in five starts (teams are 4-1). As for Anderson, his 3.43 ERA is the lowest in franchise history by a Rockies starter in his first 15 career starts. Anderson has allowed three or fewer runs in 12 outings, including Wednesday when he worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings in the first game of a doubleheader against the Dodgers, earning a 7-0 win.

The pick: The Giants are in a funk but as noted already, Samardzija has pitched well against the Rockies. Yes, Anderson owns some decent numbers in his rookie season but also note that while he owns a 2.40 ERA in seven day starts, it's almost two runs higher (4.31) in his eight evening starts. The Giants are a 10* play.