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Dodgers-Giants Preview

Sep 13, 2009 - 6:08 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (84-58) at San Francisco (76-65), 4:05 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers didn't feel Brad Penny fit into their plans this season. The San Francisco Giants have recently benefited from that decision.

While Penny tries to remain perfect with his new team, the visiting Dodgers look to get the best of their former teammate and sweep the reeling Giants on Sunday.

San Francisco (76-66) needs another strong outing from Penny (2-0, 1.20 ERA) after dropping its fourth in a row, 9-1 to first-place Los Angeles on Saturday.

The Giants, 8 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and 5 1/2 back of Colorado in the wild-card standings, will also try to avoid a season-high fifth consecutive home loss.

"We know the situation," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We need to win games. This is the last thing we wanted to happen. It's time to regroup, punch back, whatever it takes to get on track."

Penny might be the right person to help do that while trying to cool off the Dodgers (85-58), who have a three-game lead over the Rockies in the division and are 9-5 against the Giants this season - including 5-3 at AT&T Park.

"We've still got 2 1/2 weeks left and we play the Giants four more times," second baseman Orlando Hudson said. "Anything can happen."

Los Angeles has won eight of 10 for their season-best fourth straight winning series away from Dodger Stadium.

Penny spent four seasons in Los Angeles and went 32-13 in 2006-07. In 2008, however, he endured shoulder problems and finished 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA. The Dodgers decided not to re-sign him this season.

The right-hander signed with Boston, but was released by the Red Sox last month after going 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA. San Francisco picked him up and Penny is pitching like the All-Star he was early in his tenure with the Dodgers.

After throwing eight strong innings in a 4-0 win at Philadelphia on Sept. 2, Penny allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings of a 9-4 home win against San Diego on Monday.

"This is the first time I've been to San Francisco and not been booed," said Penny, who is 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA in seven starts against the Dodgers, but faces them for the first time since 2004 while with Florida.

Russell Martin hit a three-run homer and James Loney added a two-run shot Saturday for Los Angeles, which has outscored San Francisco 19-4 over the last two contests.

Loney is 12 for 25 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his last seven games, and batting .375 with six RBIs in his last four against San Francisco.

Right fielder Nate Schierholtz had two of the four hits Saturday for the Giants, who've scored nine runs and are batting .183 during their four-game skid.

Los Angeles' Chad Billingsley (12-9, 3.93) takes the ball looking to avoid a third straight loss.

The right-hander allowed four runs for a third straight game, this time in six innings, but didn't earn a decision in a 5-4 loss at Arizona on Tuesday. Billingsley is 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA in his last four outings.

He might be able to bounce back against the Giants, a team he's 3-1 with a 2.95 ERA against in nine starts. Billingsley also is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA in three starts versus San Francisco this season.