After he came within one out of a perfect game last September, San Francisco Giants right-hander Yusmeiro Petit said he prayed for another opportunity. Petit didn't exactly get it Thursday, but he will gladly settle for the next-best thing. Making his first start since July 22 as the rotation replacement for demoted Tim Lincecum, Petit set a major league record for consecutive batters retired while pitching the Giants to a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. The Giants' third consecutive win allowed them to take the series 3-1 from the Rockies and move within 4 1/2 games of the idle Los Angeles Dodgers, who lead the National League West.