...And The Trend Continues To Be Your Friend: Giants 8, Rockies 3

Another non-losing series (7 in a row). Another game where the Giants scored first and won (now 12-0). Another day bouncing between .500 and one game over (it always feels nicer one game over for some reason). Most importantly, it was another win for Matt Cain, who somehow allowed no runs despite walking 5, and the Giants, who head to LA for a showdown of sorts with the Manny-less Dodgers.

It didn't look good early as Giant-killer Jason Marquis, who dominated them in San Francisco last week, set the Giants down 1-2-3 with very little effort, and Cain followed that by walking the first two batters he faced, and falling behind the next, Todd Helton, 3-0. But Cain managed to entice Helton into a GIDP with a monumental 3-1 change-up, righted his ship, and ended up going 6 shutout innings. By that time, the Giants were up 5-0 -- mainly on the strength of 2 Bengie Molina HR's off Marquis, against whom he'd previously been 0 for 12 lifetime.

Cain had settled down to the point he might've been sent out there for the 7th, but after reaching on an error (a throw which actually hit him in the back) and having to run the bases a bit as the Giants tacked on another couple of runs, he was pinch-run for by Bruce Bochy. The pen handled it from there, and Giants continued their win-one-lose-one streak.

TOMORROW: The Dodger series just a lot more interesting today with the news about Manny's suspension, and the Giants coming in over .500. If the Dodgers win tonight, they'll still be undefeated at home and threatening to run away and hide in the NL West. If they lose, the Giants might catch them just as they cool off. Either way, there figures to be a gaping hole in the middle of that lineup. Hopefully, the resurgent Barry Zito can take advantage and set the tone for the series Friday night. Still, a win will be a tall task -- the Dodgers will throw staff ace, and newly-crowned Giant-killer, Chad Billingsley.