DENVER -- It was the ultimate baseball "laugher," a term that obviously derives its name only from the winners' perspective.

There were certainly no smiles from the Giants on Monday in the wake of a nightmarish, 20-8, loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field that had all the fun of watching a team's chances for a playoff berth wash away in a torrent of runs.

Eight runs and 15 hits is a good night for any team, but San Francisco had little chance of a stirring comeback in this debacle, and this third straight loss couldn't have come at a worst time for the Giants.

Still in the hunt for a Wild Card berth and with a tiny fraction of hope for a National League West title, the Giants needed to get off a two-game slide and get -- for a change -- rolling.

Yet this was another step backward, especially for lefty starter Noah Lowry and a rotation that has been ripped for too many runs in the early innings lately.

Lowry (7-10) allowed six runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer by Jeff Baker -- a prospect living up to his billing all in one night -- who would blast another three-run shot in the second inning, sending Lowry to an empty, dismal clubhouse after a mere 1 1/3 inning of work.

Lowry, good or bad, usually appears before the media after games, but he wasn't seen postgame. Perhaps it was expected after the 25-year-old had his worst-ever outing as a Giant -- shortest stint, and most runs given up in one contest: nine.

Giants manager Felipe Alou tried to be realistic -- hey, it is only one game -- but the starting staff is taking it hard on the chin lately, and it's beginning to eat away at their psyches.

Matt Morris yielded four runs on Saturday in a 6-1 loss at St. Louis, and the night before Brad Hennessey allowed six runs in the first two frames in a wild, 14-4 loss.

But this game was embarrassing.

"I've seen 20 runs before here, but not when a team is trying to qualify for the playoffs," said Alou. "I hope it's not demoralizing for the guys. All those runs were earned -- that's heavy."

What troubles Alou most of all is that something is troubling Lowry more than command and location -- as in a possible hidden injury, a minor ache. Something.

"He's a pitcher of quality and he has thrown some great games, but anytime I see something like that I feel like something is wrong with the guy," said Alou. "I saw the same things the other day when he faced the Rockies at home and I had to take him out in the fifth."

Indeed, Lowry gave up four hits, five runs and three walks in a 4 1/3-inning effort, and he lasted only five frames against Chicago in his previous outing, a 6-1 shellacking when he yielded six runs.

"Usually you'll know in a day or two if there's a sign [of trouble]," said Alou. "But the way he threw tonight doesn't get people out, the way the ball was flying."

Lowry is struggling more than ever. It marked the most runs he has given up since he allowed seven last season at Coors. During his three-game losing streak he's posted a 17.42 ERA and a .412 average against.

Coors Field has also been a disaster for Lowry. In five career starts here, he is 1-3 with an 11.03 ERA.

Garrett Atkins and Baker won the game all by themselves with six RBIs apiece, and while Colorado's rookie starter Justin Hampson didn't fare that well -- six runs and 10 hits over five innings -- the Giants couldn't build up offensive steam.

Ray Durham and Todd Greene punched two-run homers, but it meant little except a dubious mark of tying the 20 runs scored against them set in 1959 when the Chicago Cubs topped them 20-9.

Still, the Giants led in this game, 3-0 after a half inning. A good start, but as Colorado manager Clint Hurdle noted, the Rockies have been in that spot before.

"We knew we had some work in front of us," he said. "Lowry at times has been able to change speeds and control our bat speed. Tonight we were able to get the barrel on the ball in some spots he probably didn't want to leave them."

There could have been a comedic ending for the Giants, however, as outfielder Steve Finley was warming up in the bullpen to spare any more pitches for the relievers.

He never got in.

"I did that in 2001 against the Giants," laughed Finley. "I would have come in the last inning. Every year I offer to do that. I had a blast doing it last time. It was one inning -- no runs, one hit by pitch, one walk and got Shawon Dunston hit into a double play."