Sam Adams Sam Adams joined the Rocky Mountain News in 1996, first as the Denver Broncos beat reporter before taking his current role as sports notes columnist. The Colorado Association of Black Journalists voted Adams the Print Journalist of the Year award in 2003.

Here come those Santa Ana winds again.

The Rockies are headed to California for a seven-game road trip through San Francisco and Los Angeles, starting on Friday with a three-game series against the slumping Giants.

While the Rockies have posted a 8-10 road record against National League West division opponents this season (19-24 overall), they have gone 1-5 in the games played at San Francisco and Los Angeles.

In May, Colorado lost two of three games in San Francisco. The Rockies' lone win of the series (6-3 on May 28) was overshadowed by Giants left fielder Barry Bonds hitting his 715th career home run to surpass the late Babe Ruth. Since 1993, the Giants own a 71-30 home record against the Rockies.

The Rockies were swept in three games at Dodger Stadium in May. They have struggled to beat Los Angeles throughout the season as the Dodgers have won seven of nine games played against Colorado.

Of the 32 division games remaining on the Rockies' schedule, 19 will be played on the road -- including seven at Los Angeles and six at San Francisco.

NOTEWORTHY

The Denver Broncos Quarterback Club will hold its first meeting of the 2006 season on Aug. 17 (6:30 p.m.) at Red and Jerry's (1840 West Oxford Ave. in Sheridan). Ring of Famer Billy Thompson is the scheduled guest speaker. For the booster club's membership information, call 303-948-2363 or go to the Web site www.denverbroncosqbclub.com.

"I think it was just meant to be to play for the Broncos." -- undrafted free agent running back Mike Bell, on 950 The Fan's Sports Guys show.

The "Heat is On" . . . Rockies All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday: If the home series against the San Diego Padres was the biggest of the season, then the road series starting Friday in San Francisco is even bigger. The Rockies need Holliday to wield a hot and powerful bat against Giants pitching.

The Rockies' "Three-H" Club -- Holliday, Todd Helton and Brad Hawpe -- pounded Milwaukee Brewers pitching on Wednesday at Coors Field. The trio combined for six hits in 11 at-bats, with five runs scored and five runs batted in.