Rockies can get out of last place in San Fran this week

After scoring a win at Dodger Stadium this week, the Rockies (38-56) head to Oracle Park for a four-game series against the one team in baseball they’re actually chasing: the San Francisco Giants (38-54).

Two losses separate last place from not-last place. If Colorado can win three of four this weekend, they’ll climb out of the NL West cellar before the All-Star break. That would be a huge accomplishment for a club that has lived in last place as 100-game losers for years.

Ryan Feltner gets the ball in Thursday’s opener opposite left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (1-0, 3.60 ERA). Feltner has been solid this season at 3-2 with a 4.27 ERA — better than the staff average, which is a league-worst 5.48 mark. Kyle Freeland, Michael Lorenzen and Tanner Gordon are expected to pitch as well in this series.

The timing might be right. San Francisco is banged up. Star Matt Chapman, catcher Daniel Susac and outfielder Harrison Bader are all on the injured list and aren’t expected back until after the Midsummer Classic. That’s three regulars out of a lineup that was already struggling to score.

Colorado’s bats, meanwhile, are alive. All-Star Hunter Goodman — named to his second straight All-Star Game this week — leads the club with 27 homers and 51 RBI. He returned for an at bat late in Wednesday’ game after being pulled with a lump from Monday’s game. Jake McCarthy’s monster series against the Giants last week (two homers, six RBI in a 15-3 blowout on July 3) and Kyle Karros’ walk-off three-run shot on July 5 showed this lineup can produce in bunches against San Francisco’s pitching.

The recent head-to-head track record is ugly, though. The Rockies have lost their last six road games at Oracle Park and 5-13 in their last 18 meetings with the Giants overall.

The Dodgers series was a nice sign, even if a loser. Colorado dropped the opener 8-7 in 11 innings, stole Game 2 behind Lorenzen in a 4-3 win, then lost the finale 4-3 when Gabriel Hughes held Roki Sasaki’s Dodgers to three runs over six innings but didn’t get enough support.