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Dodgers-Giants Preview

Aug 11, 2009 - 7:09 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (68-45) at San Francisco (61-51), 10:15 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers entered this key series against the San Francisco Giants feeling a little pressure after a disappointing stretch.

After winning the opener, it's their archrivals who are suddenly feeling that way.

The Dodgers look to win back-to-back games for the first time this month Tuesday night when they meet a Giants team trying to avoid its first three-game home losing streak in eight weeks.

Los Angeles (68-45) came into this series with San Francisco (61-51) having lost three straight and 11 of 17, causing its once-comfortable nine-game division lead to shrink to 5 1/2.

With the Dodgers slumping, manager Joe Torre shook up the lineup for Monday's opener, moving Russell Martin to second and dropping Manny Ramirez to fourth for the first time this season.

Ramirez finished with two hits and sparked a four-run fourth inning with a one-out single in the 4-1 win. Following back-to-back walks to load the bases, Matt Kemp hit a three-run double.

"This was huge for us," All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton said. "We went through a little skid and we just have to come out of it and hopefully tonight will be the start of it."

The Giants dropped one game back of wild-card leading Colorado. San Francisco, an NL-best 38-19 at home, hasn't lost three straight at AT&T Park since June 15-17.

"This is not the way you want to start a series but it's not desperation time," manager Bruce Bochy said. "We need to relax and play our game."

Bochy will give the ball to Joe Martinez (2-0, 5.87 ERA), who will make his first appearance in front of the home fans since a frightening incident the first week of the season.

The last time Martinez took the mound at AT&T Park, he was struck near the right temple by a line drive off the bat of Milwaukee's Mike Cameron on April 9. The right-hander, who was making his second major league appearance, left with a concussion and three small fractures on the right side of his face.

Martinez spent the next four months working his way back before being reinstated from the 60-day disabled list to start against Houston on Wednesday. He allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings, winning his first major league start 10-6.

"I was excited and nervous," Martinez told the Giants' official Web site. "It had been 105 games since I pitched at this level, and it felt good to get out there."

The Dodgers counter with Randy Wolf (5-6, 3.55), who is probably glad he doesn't have to face Atlanta again.

Wolf allowed four runs and nine hits in each of his last two starts - both against the Braves - after giving up three runs or fewer in six straight. The left-hander threw seven innings in Thursday's 5-4 win over Atlanta but failed to get a decision for the 13th time in 24 starts.

In his only start against the Giants this season, Wolf didn't receive a decision after allowing three unearned runs and five hits in six innings of a 5-4 loss April 27. He is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four starts versus San Francisco since the start of last season.