By JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO(AP) -- Both the NL wild-card lead that looked
comfortable just a few days ago and the four-run lead that
seemed safe at the start of the ninth inning Wednesday night
were dwindling with each pitch for the Colorado Rockies.

Then Rafael Betancourt escaped a jam to save the best start of
Jorge De La Rosa's career and send the Rockies out of town with
a 4-3 victory over San Francisco and a 3 1/2-game lead over the
Giants in the wild card.

"Three-and-a-half definitely sounds a lot better in your head
than 1 1/2," first baseman Todd Helton said. "It was a big game
tonight and we were able to get a win."

It almost wasn't to be as the Giants scored three runs in the
ninth and put the tying run on third base before Betancourt
struck out Nate Schierholtz for his first save since joining
Colorado in July.

That effort made sure that the brilliant work by De La Rosa
(15-9) wouldn't go to waste. He allowed three hits in eight
scoreless innings to beat the Giants for the sixth straight
start. He gave the bullpen a 4-0 lead to start the ninth.

"On the biggest stage of his career, in the biggest game of his
career, he pitched the best game of his career," manager Jim
Tracy said. "That's exactly what took place tonight. That was as
good a game as he has pitched I'll guarantee you in his career.
And there have been some good ones."

Troy Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart homered for the Rockies, who had
lost four straight games, including the first two in this
series. That helped the Giants shave three games off Colorado's
wild-card lead, putting a heightened importance on the final
scheduled meeting between the teams this season.

But with De La Rosa outpitching All-Star Matt Cain (13-6) and
once again dominating the Giants, Colorado leaves town with a
comfortable lead with just over two weeks left in the season.

"We're in a situation now where we need to win ballgames,"
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "This was a tough one. We know
where we are and we know what is at stake."

The Giants opened the ninth with three straight singles off
Franklin Morales, with the first run scoring on Bengie Molina's
hit.

Betancourt came in to protect a three-run lead and got Juan
Uribe to hit a grounder to shortstop. Tulowitzki's throw to
second base was off target for an error, allowing a second run
to score and pinch-runner Eli Whiteside to go to third.

After pinch-runner Eugenio Velez stole second, Betancourt got
Edgar Renteria to pop up in a rematch of a memorable encounter
last month. Renteria's seventh-inning grand slam off Betancourt
on Aug. 30 helped the Giants complete a three-game sweep and tie
the wild-card lead.

Betancourt got pinch-hitter Randy Winn to hit an RBI groundout
and struck out Schierholtz to end it.

"We had drama, obviously, in the ninth inning," Tracy said.
"Maybe the save of his career. The start of a career and the
save of a career."

De La Rosa (15-9) has overcome an 0-6 start to the season to be
one of the top pitchers in the NL the past few months. His 15
wins since June 1 are the most in the majors, with three coming
against the Giants.

He was at his best protecting a 4-0 lead in the sixth after the
Giants put runners on second and third with no outs. De La Rosa
recovered by striking out Andres Torres, Freddy Sanchez and
Pablo Sandoval in succession, pumping his fist in celebration.

"The old Jorge from earlier this year or last year wouldn't have
done that," Stewart said. "You could see his composure out
there. He stayed within himself and trusted his stuff and did a
great job."

Cain's second-half woes continued as he has won once in his last
10 starts.

Tulowitzki led off the fourth with his 27th homer for a 1-0
lead. Clint Barmes added an RBI double in the inning and
Stewart's two-run shot in the sixth made it 4-0.

"For me it was frustrating putting our guys in a hole after six
innings, especially the way De La Rosa has been pitching
lately," Cain said.

NOTES: Bochy said he would not tweak his rotation with an off
day Thursday. That means reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum
will pitch Sunday in Los Angeles and can only make three more
starts, instead of four, if he goes on regular rest the
remainder of the season. ... Rockies closer Huston Street
(biceps tendinitis) threw a bullpen session before the game and
will pitch a simulated game Friday. Tracy said Street could
pitch in a real game Sunday at Arizona. ... LHP Randy Johnson
warmed up for the Giants a day after being activated from the DL
but did not appear in the game.