(Best E Casino) - The San Francisco Giants haven't had much to be excited about this season except for starting pitcher Tim Lincecum, who will take the mound this evening in the opener of a three-game series versus the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park.

Lincecum has made a strong bid for the National League Cy Young Award this season with a 17-4 mark and a league-leading 2.46 earned run average in 32 games (31 starts) this season. Lincecum has held the opposition to a .220 batting average and was moved up to pitch today so he could get in one last appearance on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The young right-hander was 6-0 in 10 trips to the mound before losing his previous start on September 18 at Arizona. Lincecum was reached for three runs in eight innings of a 3-2 loss to have his unbeaten streak come to an end. The All-Star, who is 7-2 at home, is 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA in five starts versus Colorado this season. Lincecum is 3-1 in seven career starts in this series.

San Francisco will close out its 2008 season on a six-game homestand versus Colorado and Los Angeles, and recently went 5-6 on an 11-game road trip. It won two of three games against the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine, including Sunday's 1-0 victory in 11 innings.

Rich Aurilia knocked in the only run of the game in the top of the 11th inning and Eugenio Velez finished with three hits for the Giants. Starter Matt Cain allowed five hits in six innings in the no-decision while Sergio Romo tossed three perfect innings of relief for the win. Brian Wilson struck out two in the bottom of the 11th for his 40th save.

Colorado will hit the road for six games against San Francisco and Arizona to close out its disappointing 2008 campaign. The defending National League champions lost the last two matchups of a three-game series with the Diamondbacks at Coors Field since winning three in a row.

In Sunday's 13-4 defeat in the series finale, Greg Reynolds gave up seven hits and six runs over just 1 1/3 innings to absorb the loss. Garrett Atkins hit a three-run homer while both Seth Smith and Chris Iannetta added a pair of hits in a losing effort. In injury news for the Rockies, left fielder Matt Holliday (back) and catcher Iannetta (legs) are both questionable for Tuesday's game.

Ubaldo Jimenez gets the nod for the Rockies on Tuesday and he is 11-12 with a 4.12 ERA in 32 starts. Jimenez is 2-0 over the past three outings and defeated San Diego the last time out on September 16 in a 10-3 victory. He limited the Padres to two runs in seven innings.

The right-hander, who is 4-8 on the road, has recorded three no-decisions in three games against the Giants this season. Jimenez is 0-1 with a 1.85 ERA in four lifetime meetings with San Francisco.

Colorado is 8-7 against the Giants this season, with both teams splitting six encounters at AT&T Park.