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Giants try to move past slow start in opener with Dodgers

Apr 21, 2015 - 2:34 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants are off to a rocky 4-10 start and will open a three-game series Tuesday versus the rival Los Angeles Dodgers at AT&T Park.

The Giants ended an eight-game slide with a 4-1 win over Arizona on Saturday, but fell back into the loss column with Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Diamondbacks in the finale of a four-game series.

Angel Pagan drove in a run and starting pitcher Tim Hudson gave up five runs on six hits and two walks over five innings for the Giants.

"If you look at the game, we did hit some balls hard," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's not a lack of effort."

San Francisco is 1-7 when opponents score first.

Tim Lincecum will try to pitch the Giants to a win Tuesday and has an 0-1 mark to go along with a 2.25 earned run average in two starts. Lincecum was dealt the loss in last Wednesday's 4-2 defeat versus Colorado and surrendered four runs -- three earned -- and six hits in five inning. He threw seven shutout innings in a no-decision on April 10 at San Diego.

Lincecum, a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, is 9-7 with a 3.38 ERA in 26 career games (24 starts) against the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have won seven straight and will play the next six games on the road against San Francisco and San Diego.

Los Angeles has swept Seattle and Colorado, and recorded a 7-0 pounding of the Rockies on Sunday, as Howie Kendrick, Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson all homered in a five-run sixth inning. Van Slyke was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and three runs batted in, while Justin Turner collected three doubles among his four hits.

Brandon McCarthy was effective in six scoreless innings for Los Angeles, scattering three hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

"I felt fine. I got a little tired early (because) I think I came out of the gates a little hot," McCarthy said. "Overall, I feel like I got into a groove early and stayed away from the middle of the plate."

Brett Anderson draws the start for LA Tuesday and is 1-0 with a 3.27 earned run average in two starts. He previously toed the rubber in last Wednesday's 5-2 win over Seattle and gave up two runs -- one earned -- in five innings.

Anderson has made three career starts against San Francisco, going 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA across 12 innings.

The Giants were 9-10 against the Dodgers last season with a 3-6 mark at home.