DENVER _ Set aside the painful fact that Madison Bumgarner won't throw a pitch for a long time.
The San Francisco Giants are going to miss his bat, too.
The hits kept on coming in a 12-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies, but not for the Giants offense. Right fielder Hunter Pence didn't start because of a twisted left knee, center fielder Denard Span didn't make it past the second inning because of a sprained right shoulder, and a depleted Giants lineup offered little resistance until it was too late.
The Giants could point to their share of hard outs. The Rockies avoided that issue by crushing three home runs in four innings off left-hander Matt Moore.
As a result, the Giants (6-12) have the worst record in the National League and must win Sunday to avoid getting swept and falling seven games back of the first-place Rockies in the NL West.
This is the first time since July 2007, that the Giants own the NL's worst record beyond the first dozen games of the season. And remember, this is a team that struggled to a 30-42 after the All-Star break last season, too.
Of course, it's way too early to say the last-place Giants are dead in the NL West. But there's no disputing that their outfield is a skeleton crew.
The Giants already lost left fielder Jarrett Parker for at least two months because of a broken collarbone he sustained while crashing into the padded fence at AT&T Park. Pence didn't start Saturday because he twisted his left knee while trying to react to an inside-the-park home run that he lost in the lights Friday night.
The Giants started three outfielders (Span, Chris Marrero, Gorkys Hernandez) who had combined to hit .150 with one home run in 113 at-bats this season.
And then it got worse.
Span sprinted back to make a catch on Charlie Blackmon's deep drive, which saved a run in a game the Rockies already led 3-0. But Span's right shoulder crashed into the wall and he staggered back toward the infield after making the catch. He did not go back to retrieve his hat _ Hernandez picked it up for him _ and took a long time as he walked back to the dugout. Trainer Eric Ortega met Span on the track and escorted him the final few feet down the stairs.
The Giants announced later in the game that Span had sustained a mild right shoulder sprain and would go for precautionary X-rays.
Conor Gillaspie pinch hit for Span in the third and remained in the game at third base, with Eduardo Nunez moving to right field and Hernandez shifting to center.
Nunez's inexperience probably cost the Giants in the eighth when he didn't call off Joe Panik on a fly ball that ticked off the second baseman's glove for an error. The play _ they dropped a fly because they are dropping like flies _ opened the door for five unearned runs in what became an ugly rally against right-hander Neil Ramirez.
At least Pence, who said before the game that he intended to start Sunday, drew a pinch walk in the eighth and looked spry while scoring from first base on Brandon Belt's double.
If Span has to go on the disabled list, the Giants would require another center fielder on their roster. They could purchase the contract of veteran Drew Stubbs, who was batting .258 in eight games for Triple-A Sacramento and led off Saturday's game with his second home run.
No matter how Manager Bruce Bochy covers his outfield, at some point the Giants lineup must generate more at the plate _ especially in the early innings. They have two home runs over their last six games, and needed Joe Panik's solo shot to get on the board in the sixth inning.
Of course, with their current run of luck, someone could hit for the cycle and hurt himself falling off.
Moore was not equipped for a pitcher's duel in a hitter's paradise. The Rockies dented him for three runs in the first inning. Charlie Blackmon led off the game with a triple � which counted as progress for the Giants, since he hit an inside-the-parker on Friday � and then Mark Reynolds paused briefly to admire the low-grade orbit of his two-run home run.
Trevor Story hit a solo shot and Blackmon added a two-run homer off Moore in a three-run fourth inning.
Eventually, Moore will have to learn to adapt at Coors Field. He entered with an 11.74 ERA in two starts here, and managed to raise it to 12.34.
Bright notes are hard to find for the Giants, but right-hander Chris Stratton provided one. He made an impressive season debut, throwing a 95 mph fastball and striking out three in three hitless innings.
During the Rockies' endless rally in the eighth, a pair of fans ran into the outfield and were tackled by security. Perhaps the Giants should've hit them some fungoes, first. They need all the help out there they can get.
