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(Sports Network) - Lefty Jonathan Sanchez makes his first start in three weeks and aims for his first win since late June today, when the San Francisco Giants visit the defending National League champion Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series at Coors Field.

Sanchez is making his first start since coming off of the disabled list due to a strained pitching shoulder.

He was 0-5 in seven starts prior to the injury, the last being a seven-inning outing at Houston in which he allowed five hits and two runs in a 3-1 defeat. Sanchez last won in Oakland on June 29, defeating the Athletics after surrendering just four hits and a run in seven innings of an 11-1 win while walking one and striking out six.

Sanchez is 1-0 in 11 career games against the Rockies -- four starts -- and has allowed 21 earned runs and struck out 22 batters in 27 innings.

For Colorado, lefty Jorge De La Rosa tries for a second straight defeat of the Giants.

The 27-year-old Mexican gave up five hits and an earned run in a six-inning defeat of San Francisco on August 26. He walked three and fanned three.

The Rockies enter the game third in the NL's West Division, six games behind the front-running Arizona Diamondbacks. They are roughly in the same position as last year before a remarkable late-season run carried the Rox through the NL playoffs before a World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox.

De La Rosa has met the Giants five times in his career, allowing seven earned runs in 13 innings.

On Sunday in Cincinnati, Joey Votto finished with four hits, including a double and four runs batted in and Bronson Arroyo pitched seven solid innings as the Reds hammered the Giants, 9-3, to complete a three-game sweep at Great American Ball Park.

Emmanuel Burriss hit his first career home run for the Giants, who have dropped five of their last six. Aaron Rowand had two hits and an RBI in defeat.

Matt Cain (8-11) suffered the loss after working five innings. The young right-hander was touched for five runs on eight hits, while striking out three and walking five. He is now 2-2 in four career starts versus Cincinnati.

In San Diego, Luis Rodriguez drove in both Padres runs, including the game- winner in the bottom of the ninth as San Diego pulled out a 2-1 win over Colorado in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Jeff Francis was nearly as effective as Jake Peavy, allowing a run on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in his seven-inning start. Troy Tulowitzki and Scott Podsednik each had two hits, while Chris Iannetta drove in the Rockies' only run as Colorado fell for the third time in four games. Taylor Buchholz (6-4) took the loss for the visitors.

The 2008 season series between San Francisco and Colorado is tied at six games apiece.