Bochy reflects on close race in NL West

DENVER -- Almost exactly halfway through the season, the National League West remains a bundle of uncertainty, with all five teams within six games of each other going into Friday night.

The Giants head into the first of a three-game series with the Rockies tied for third place, both teams four games back of the D-backs. At 42-36 entering Friday, Arizona is the lone team in the division over .500, granting the four other teams a second life in the race for the NL West crown.

"It's not what I quite thought in one way, that there would be one team over .500," manager Bruce Bochy said. "But I did think it would be somewhat of a tight race with all the teams involved, and that's what it is. Some of us are fortunate that it's a tight race at this point, particularly us. We've had our own struggles.

"I think it should be this way all year."

San Francisco has dropped seven of its last eight and nine of 12, sitting two games under .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2008. The Giants finished 72-90 that year, fourth in the division.