Final
Giants-Dodgers Preview
Apr 17, 2010 - 6:56 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior WriterSan Francisco (7-3) at Los Angeles (5-5), 4:10 p.m. EDT
The San Francisco Giants appear poised to contend for the NL West title. The Los Angeles Dodgers, however, are likely to be standing in their way.
After falling to the two-time defending division champions in the series opener, the Giants turn to ace Tim Lincecum to help them avoid their fourth straight loss at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.
San Francisco (7-3) hasn't won a division title since 2003, but their early success indicates that may change.
"I think we know we're good," veteran Mark DeRosa told the Giants' official website. "You're going to have bumps in the road in a long season, but ultimately, when we put our uniform on every day, we feel like we have a really good chance of winning that ballgame."
Though Los Angeles (5-5) hasn't the enjoyed the same kind of start, it might still be the class of the division after holding on for a 10-8 win on Friday. The Dodgers improved to 44-30 against San Francisco since the start of the 2006 season.
Los Angeles' Andre Ethier hit two homers, including his first career grand slam. He's 13 for 32 in his last nine contests against the Giants.
"I've hit my fair share of home runs those first four years and never got (a grand slam), so I'm glad it's over now," said Ethier, who has nine RBIs in his last four games.
Matt Kemp hit his fifth home run as the Dodgers withstood a five-run San Francisco ninth for their second straight victory. Kemp became the first Dodger to homer in each of the team's first four home games since the franchise moved from Brooklyn in 1958
Kemp, however, is 1 for 12 all-time versus Lincecum (2-0, 1.29 ERA).
The reigning two-time NL Cy Young Award winner is 2-1 with a 3.49 ERA in six starts against Los Angeles, but 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in three at Dodger Stadium.
After giving up four hits and striking out seven over seven scoreless innings of a 5-2 win at Houston in the season opener, the right-hander allowed two runs and struck out 10 in seven innings of a 6-3 win over Atlanta on Sunday.
"He's the best pitcher in the game," Braves catcher Brian McCann said. "His changeup is close to unhittable."
One hitter Lincecum might not have to face is Manny Ramirez. It's uncertain if the slugger will play after he left Friday's game with tightness in his right calf. Ramirez is batting .355 this season, but is 1 for 6 against Lincecum.
San Francisco could be without Aaron Rowand, who also left Friday after being hit in the helmet by a pitch from Vicente Padilla. Rowand is batting .304 this season.
Pablo Sandoval and Eugenio Velez each homered in the opener for the Giants, who've dropped two of three. Sandoval is batting .333 this season, and the same in his last four games at Dodger Stadium.
Scheduled to make his third appearance in seven days, knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-0, 3.86) takes the ball for the Dodgers.
Haeger gave up four runs and struck out 12 in six innings of a 6-5 loss at Florida on Sunday, then pitched a scoreless inning of relief in an 11-inning loss to Arizona on Wednesday.
Though Haeger has allowed three runs in 1 1-3 innings of relief versus the Giants, he'll be making his first start against them.
- Dodgers 0, Giants 9 - FINAL
SAN FRANCISCO ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E Velez cf-lf 5 1 3 1 1 0 1 .412
E Renteria ss 4 0 1 1 0 2 5 .326
P Sandoval 3b 4 1 1 0 1 2 5 .326
A Huff 1b 3 2 1 0 2 0 4 .282
E Whiteside c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
M DeRosa lf 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 .222
va-A To
Apr 17 7:17 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY EDGAR RENTERIA SCORED EUGENIO VELEZ
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 9
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: P SANDOVAL (.333, 1-FOR-3, BB)
Giants 9, Dodgers 0 Top 7, 0 OutsApr 17 6:32 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY EUGENIO VELEZ SCORED NATE SCHIERHOLTZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, E VELEZ ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 8
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: E RENTERIA (.326, 1-FOR-4)
Giants 8, Dodgers 0 Top 7, 0 OutsApr 17 6:30 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JUAN URIBE SCORED AUBREY HUFF
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, B MOLINA ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 7
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: N SCHIERHOLTZ (.333, 1-FOR-2)
Giants 7, Dodgers 0 Top 4, 0 OutsApr 17 5:32 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BENGIE MOLINA SCORED PABLO SANDOVAL
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B MOLINA ON FIRST, A HUFF ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 6
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: J URIBE (.351, 0-FOR-1, BB)
Giants 6, Dodgers 0 Top 4, 0 OutsApr 17 5:31 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
PASSED BALL BY A.J. ELLIS ALLOWED NATE SCHIERHOLTZ TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, T LINCECUM ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 5
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: E VELEZ (.385, 1-FOR-1, BB)
Giants 5, Dodgers 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 17 5:08 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY TIM LINCECUM SCORED BENGIE MOLINA AND MARK DEROSA
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, T LINCECUM ON FIRST, N SCHIERHOLTZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 4
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: E VELEZ (.385, 1-FOR-1, BB)
Giants 4, Dodgers 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 17 5:06 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY JAMEY CARROLL ALLOWED AUBREY HUFF TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M DEROSA ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 2
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: B MOLINA (.462, 1-FOR-1)
Giants 2, Dodgers 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 17 5:02 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY TIM LINCECUM SCORED BENGIE MOLINA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, T LINCECUM ON FIRST, N SCHIERHOLTZ ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 1
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,2ND
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: E VELEZ (.333, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Giants 1, Dodgers 0 Top 2, 0 OutsApr 17 4:42 PM
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