Major League Baseball

Cain pitches sharp game as Giants beat Rockies

Published Jul. 25, 2009 6:42 a.m. ET

foxsports

For a game played in the July heat, this sure had a cool September feel.

Matt Cain detected it on the mound. The noisier the crowd became, the nastier he pitched.

Cain became the major leagues' second 12-game winner, scattering three hits over seven innings and the San Francisco Giants beat Colorado 3-1 on Friday night to pull even with the Rockies in the NL wild-card race.

Too early to talk postseason?

"No. This is where we have to concentrate - take these games," Cain said of the three-game series. "We let something slip now and that could come back to bite us down the road."

Cain pitched with a playoff zest, giving up one run and striking out five as he moved to 37-6 all-time when the Giants score three or more runs for him.

Although he struggled with his command at times, issuing four walks, he didn't allow his first hit until the fifth when Ian Stewart lined a two-out hopper through the right side of the infield.