DENVER • If not for a sudden gust of wind, Bengie Molina could have had a three-homer afternoon.

Not that he’s quibbling with two.

Behind Molina’s big day at the plate and Matt Cain’s six innings of one-hit ball, the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 8-3 on Thursday.

By showing a little patience, Molina finally solved Jason Marquis.

The Giants catcher was hitless in 12 career plate appearances against Marquis before lining a solo homer to left-center in the second and crushing a two-run shot to right the following inning.

“The only thing I did different was I let the ball travel to me,” Molina said. “I was just trying to stay back as long as I could.”

Molina nearly had another homer in the fifth, but the wind held the ball up and allowed Dexter Fowler to track it down in deep center.

Molina finished with three hits and four RBIs, driving in another run on a bases-loaded, check-swing groundout.

Cain (3-1) fought his control early, walking four in the first two innings, then settled down. He retired nine of his last 10 before being lifted for a pinch runner in the seventh.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy called him “wildly effective.”

After neutralizing the Giants in a complete-game win on Saturday, Marquis (4-2) didn’t have the same stuff.

“Just one of those days where I didn’t execute when I needed to,” Marquis said.

Brad Hawpe homered off Jeremy Affeldt in the seventh to break up the shutout. Ian Stewart added a two-run homer in the ninth.

FRIDAYFlorida (Nolasco 1-3, 7.03 ERA) at Colorado (Hammel 0-0, 3.45), 7:10 p.m., FSN, 850 AM

Actor Kiefer Sutherland leaves his Manhattan apartment before turning himself in to police Thursday, May 7, 2009 in New York. Photo by (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Jason DeCrow