The NL West-leading Dodgers are trying to keep their season from slipping away. And while they may hang on to win the division they are far from primed for the postseason. Randy Wolf has become the most consistent member of the rotation and he was scratched from a start in the weekend showdown with the Giants because of an irritation in his left elbow. Chad Billingsley, who was hoped to become the ace of the rotation, is sputtering down the stretch (0-3, 5.48 last four starts). Clayton Kershaw is winless in his last nine starts. And Manny Ramirez has lost his fan-favorite role along with his offensive production -- .271 with nine home runs, 25 RBIs and 45 strikeouts in 177 at-bats since the All-Star break.

The wild-card-leading Rockies are surviving despite the losses of starting pitcher Aaron Cook (right shoulder strain), closer Huston Street (strained right biceps), and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (back spasms). The biggest lift has been emergence of lefty Franklin Morales in the ninth-inning role. He's 5-for-5 in save situations since Street was sidelined. Working out of the bullpen for the first time in the regular season this year, Morales has held left-handed hitters to a .100 average (3-for-30). Right-handers are hitting only .223. The rotation has four 10-game winners for first time, and while Jason Hammel is only 8-7 in 26 starts, the Rockies are 15-5 in his last 20 starts.

They do have two big road tests. They travel to San Francisco on Monday for the middle series in a three-city road trip, and then visit Los Angeles for the final three games of the regular season.

The wild-card-challenging Giants could finally be paying the price for an anemic offense. Not only did they stumble to a 3-3 road trip despite a pitching staff that allowed only nine runs (they lost two of three in hitter-friendly Philadelphia despite allowing only three runs total) and then returned home to lose two of three to San Diego. Now comes back-to-back, three-game series at home against the Dodgers and Rockies, and the Giants aren't sure of the status of Tim Lincecum, who was scratched from his Tuesday start against the Padres because of low back pains.