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Giants-Dodgers Preview

Jul 21, 2010 - 6:09 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

San Francisco (52-42) at Los Angeles (49-45), 10:10 p.m. EDT

Tim Lincecum was very sharp in his first start following a much-deserved break. That doesn't bode well for a struggling Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.

Coming off his best outing of the season, Lincecum takes the mound for the surging San Francisco Giants as they try to deal the Dodgers their sixth straight loss Tuesday night.

Lincecum (10-4, 2.94 ERA) didn't appear in the All-Star game last Tuesday night, giving him seven days of rest. In his return from the break, the right-hander threw a six-hitter against New York on Friday night, striking out five in a 2-0 San Francisco victory.

It was Lincecum's fourth career shutout and first this season.

"I think it's evident the rest probably did him well," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Lincecum has surrendered one run in 16 innings spanning his last two starts, striking out 15 and walking three. The two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner is 3-1 with a 3.02 ERA in seven starts versus the Dodgers.

He is facing a Los Angeles team that has been rusty since the All-Star break, losing five in a row after winning nine of its previous 13. The Dodgers (49-44) have been held to 11 runs during their skid, including a 5-2 loss to the Giants (51-42) in the opener of this three-game series Monday.

"You get what you earn. Right now we've given a lot away and we have to find a way of getting back on track," manager Joe Torre said. "We've left a lot of men on base lately."

The Giants, meanwhile, have won 10 of 12 to move within four games of first-place San Diego in the NL West. In each of the past three games, San Francisco has reached double digits in hits.

Cleanup hitter Buster Posey has extended his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games. The rookie catcher is hitting .468 (22 for 47) with six homers and 18 RBIs over his last 12 games.

Posey will face Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (9-5, 3.16) for the first time. He is coming off one of his worst starts of the season, surrendering five runs and eight hits while walking three in 4 1-3 innings of a 7-1 loss at St. Louis on Thursday night.

The left-hander is back at home, where he is 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA over his past six starts, striking out 51 in 44 innings. Kershaw has not received a decision in two career starts against the Giants despite posting a 1.29 ERA and striking out 22 in 14 innings.

If Kershaw can get the Dodgers to the late innings with a lead, closer Jonathan Broxton may not be available. Torre wants to give the All-Star some rest after he threw 44 pitches in two innings Sunday in a 5-4 loss at St. Louis.

Hong-Chih Kuo will be used in the closer's role in the meantime.

James Loney and Russell Martin, meanwhile, have returned to the Dodgers' lineup.

Loney, hitting .307 with 64 RBIs, missed a game after suffering a left hamstring cramp in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Cardinals. Martin sat out two games due to a bruised left thumb.