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Maddux, red-hot Dodgers look to take over first place against Giants

Sep 30, 2006 - 2:38 PM LA Dodgers (86-74) at San Francisco (76-83) 4:10 pm EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- After securing one of their biggest wins of the season on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers will try to take sole possession of the lead in the National League West Division on Saturday.

Greg Maddux will take the ball for the Dodgers as they face the rival San Francisco Giants in the middle game of a season-ending three-game series.

Los Angeles won its fifth straight game to move into a tie for first place in the NL West Division with San Diego, which dropped a 3-1 decision at Arizona. Both teams have two games remaining.

The Dodgers can clinch a playoff berth Saturday with a victory against the Giants or a loss by Philadelphia, which sits two games back in the wild card hunt entering its matinee against Florida.

Pinch hitter Olmedo Saenz delivered the game-tying single in the ninth and Russell Martin scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch as the Dodgers rallied for a 4-3 triumph over San Francisco on Friday.

Since joining Los Angeles at the trade deadline, Maddux (14-14, 4.26 ERA) has faced the Giants twice, going 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA.

A four-time Cy Young Award winner, Maddux has struggled with the Dodgers overall, going 3-2 with a 4.81 ERA in six starts. He has lasted seven innings only once in his last five starts.

The Giants will go with Matt Cain (13-11, 4.09 ERA). The rookie righthander has dropped each of his last two starts, giving up 12 runs in 12 1/3 innings.

Los Angeles has won five in a row and seven of its last 10, while San Francisco has lost eight of 10 contests.