"Making the playoffs for the first time since 2003 has to be the Giants' goal this season. In Wednesday night's 4-1 victory over Colorado at China Basin, Matt Cain almost did something no Giants pitcher had accomplished since that division-winning season of '03.

Cain fell one inning shy of his third consecutive complete game. The last S.F. pitcher to go the distance in three straight games was Jason Schmidt in June 2003.

Nevertheless, Cain deserved top billing Wednesday night. He held the Rockies to four hits. Cain (4-4) walked three (including opposing pitcher Jeff Francis twice) and struck out five.

In his previous start, Cain put together a one-hit, nine-strikeout gem against Arizona on Friday. He wasn't quite as dominant against Colorado, but was plenty good enough.

"I was able to command my fastball a lot better (in the) last start," Cain said, "but my off-speed stuff was still very good today."

So then the question became, could Cain have navigated the ninth? He had thrown 114 pitches. Cain said he could have finished the game, but seemed content with manager Bruce Bochy's decision.

Said Bochy: "It would have grinded him pretty hard" to work the ninth, "and with the load he's been carrying, that was far enough."

Brian Wilson worked a one-two-three ninth to pick up his 13th save.

Troy Tulowitzki's homer in the fourth gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead. The Giants were still trailing with runners at the corners and two outs in the fifth."