W	L	GB
LA	78	58	-	Can Angels help derail this train?
GIANTS	71	66	7.5	Panik returns to the lineup.

Yesterday

Giants defeated Colorado, 7-4, splitting the four-game series.

LA defeated San Diego, 5-1.

Today

Giants open a three-game series at Arizona with a Labor Day 2:10 PM start (4:10 EDT). Mike "Hard-Luck" Leake starts against the Diamondbacks' Patrick Corbin, who pitched well but took the loss in his only start against the Giants six weeks ago.

LA opens a three-game set in Anaheim against the crosstown rival Angels, who are treading water but still very much alive in both the AL West and AL wild-card races. Zack Greinke, whom we know from recent experience is on a regular roll at the moment, faces rookie Nick Tropeiano. 

Yesterday's Game

For the second straight game the Giants' lineup broke out big, with 14 hits, seven of those for extra bases, including Buster Posey's 100th career home run. Marlon Byrd led the attack with 4 hits, and everyone in the starting lineup hit safely except Juan Perez. The big inning was the fifth, when Matt Duffy's two-run triple and Brandon Crawford's two-run double highlighted a five-run outburst that wiped out the Rockies' early lead. Madison Bumgarner, who has endured four tough losses this year, got a rare cheap win, allowing nine hits and four runs over six. "Bum" loaded the bases with nobody out in the first, and two runs scored on a forceout and a sac fly. He settled down for a while afterward as the Giants pulled even and then broke out ahead. Leading 7-2 in the fifth, he let the Rockies back in it with four straight singles to open the frame, cutting the lead to 7-4. Any other pitcher would have been yanked at that point, with two on, nobody out, and powerful Nolan Arenado at the plate. But "Bum" secured his win by gettng the slugger to ground into a double play, ending the threat. He survived the sixth, too, despite allowing two hits, but that was all. "The Usual Suspects"-- that's Javy Lopez, Hunter Strickland, Sergio Romo, and Santiago Casilla-- finished up with  four perfect innings, the save going to Casilla, his 32nd.