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Dodgers pound Zito, Giants in series sweep

Apr 9, 2007 - 2:11 AM SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- After a slow start, the Los Angeles Dodgers are starting to roll.

Luis Gonzalez homered twice and Randy Wolf picked up his first win with his new team as the Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants, 10-4, to complete a series sweep of their bitter rival.

After dropping the first two games of the season to Milwaukee, Los Angeles has won four straight. In this three-game series sweep, the Dodgers outscored the Giants, 16-6.

"That's the kind of team we have," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "We know we have those capabilities. It takes everybody on the team. We're not going to sit here and say we don't need (shortstop Rafael) Furcal, because we do. But anytime you put together any kind of good stretch, it's everyone contributing in some way."

Gonzalez gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead when he belted a solo shot off San Francisco starter Barry Zito in the fourth. The veteran outfielder connected again in the seventh off Brad Hennessey, a three-run blast to extend the lead to 9-1.

"He (Gonzalez) had a good day out there today," Little said. "Things happened right for us at the right time out there."

Signed to a one-year deal in the offseason by his hometown team, Wolf (1-1) handcuffed the Giants by allowing three hits and a run with three walks and three strikeouts over six innings.

"It was kind of an uphill climb when you throw a ton of pitches early in the game," Wolf said. "It definitely didn't start off on the right foot. Luckily, I was able to battle through some innings and get past those first two and later in the game got some early outs."

Rookies Matt Kemp and Wilson Valdez each collected three hits and two RBI, helping the Dodgers extend their winning streak at AT&T Park to eight. Former Giant Jeff Kent scored three runs and hit a double, continuing his stretch as the only Dodger to record a hit in each game this season.

Zito (0-2) was roughed up in his second start as a Giant, surrendering eight runs and nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Zito, who inked a seven-year deal worth $126 million in the offseason, also took the loss Tuesday against San Diego.

"I've seen this for years in Oakland getting off to a slow start," Zito said. "The key is not to panic. At the end of the day, it's just baseball. I have to stay on my game plan, make a few adjustments and go from there. "

Barry Bonds hit an RBI single and Pedro Feliz belted a two-run homer for the Giants, who fell to 1-5 for the first time in 27 years.

"(It was a) tough homestand," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We know it, we're disappointed at how this homestand went. That's the last thing we wanted to happen is to lose five games this homestand. This is something we've got to put behind us."

Bochy was tossed in the ninth for arguing by first base umpire Mike Winters. It was Bochy's 31st career lifetime ejection.

"We disagreed on a call there," Bochy said. "But that had nothing to do with the game. We had our chances early. We let Wolf off the hook there and we ran his pitch count up pretty good there the first couple innings. We just couldn't put him away."