MLB: San Francisco 2, Colorado 0

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Tim Lincecum shut down Colorado on four hits over eight innings Friday and San Francisco opened a crucial series with a 2-0 win over the Rockies.

The Giants handed Colorado its third straight loss and moved within two games of the Rockies for the lead in the National League wild-card race.

Lincecum, the ace of the San Francisco staff and last year's winner of the National League Cy Young Award, improved to 13-4. He struck out eight and allowed only two Colorado runners to reach second base.

Brian Wilson completed the shutout, giving up a single while striking out two in the ninth for his 31st save.

Pablo Sandoval put San Francisco in front with a solo homer in the fifth. The Giants also scored in the sixth on a walk to Eli Whiteside, a sacrifice by Lincecum and an RBI single by Eugenio Velez.

Ubaldo Jimenez (12-10) suffered the hard-luck loss, giving up two runs on seven hits in seven innings.