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Giants aim to come up big vs. Dodgers

Apr 27, 2009 - 2:11 AM SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The San Francisco Giants were two outs away from riding their first six-game winning streak in more than a year into a meeting with the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

A late collapse doesn't bode well for their second series against the reigning division champs in 2009.

The Giants look to bounce back from their first loss in six games and get a measure of revenge for a three-game sweep in Los Angeles two weeks ago as they open a three-game home series against the Dodgers on Monday night.

San Francisco (8-9) rebounded from a slow start with five straight wins last week. The Giants were on the verge of extending that streak Sunday before they allowed three runs in the ninth inning in an eventual 5-4, 12-inning loss at Arizona.

The Giants, which took the lead on Pablo Sandoval's three-run homer in the eighth, missed a chance to win six straight for the first time since Aug. 23-28, 2007.

"We got the hit we were looking for all day," manager Bruce Bochy said. "We just couldn't hold it."

San Francisco hopes to get back on track against Los Angeles (13-6), but that could be tough against a Dodgers club that outscored the Giants 23-7 during a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium from April 13-16.

Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson was 8-for-13 (.615) with a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored in that series. Outfielder Andre Ethier was 4-for-10 with two homers, four RBIs and five runs scored.

The Dodgers appear to be the favorites to win the NL West, thanks in part to their 12-4 start within the division. They fell short in their last outing, however, losing 10-4 at Colorado on Sunday.

Manager Joe Torre gave outfielder Manny Ramirez, shortstop Rafael Furcal and third baseman Casey Blake routine days off, but all three players are expected back Monday. Ramirez, in particular, needed the rest, Torre said.

"I needed to get Manny a day off," Torre said. "He looked like he was dragging the bat a little (Friday) night."

Ramirez is just 8-for-36 (.222) lifetime against San Francisco starter Barry Zito (0-2, 5.63 ERA), but he has three homers and 11 walks against him.

Zito will try to help the Giants rebound by building on his best outing of the year. After posting a 10.00 ERA in his first two starts, both losses, the left-hander held San Diego scoreless for seven innings of San Francisco's 1-0, 10-inning victory Wednesday.

Zito allowed one runner past second base and kept the Padres off-balance with a mixture of his trademark curveball and a fastball that was his most effective of the young season. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter for the first time since June 25, 2008.

"I just wanted to be aggressive today and let the hitters on the other side earn it themselves instead of falling behind and giving them free passes," said Zito, who is winless in three starts. "As good a (rotation) that we have, we want to go out and help the team more than the last guy did."

Zito is 5-5 with a 4.73 ERA in 11 starts against Los Angeles. Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp is 14-for-27 (.519) lifetime against him, and shortstop Rafael Furcal is 7-for-17 (.412).

Los Angeles will hand the ball to Randy Wolf (1-1, 4.26), who's 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in six starts against the Giants since the start of the 2005 season.

Wolf gave up four runs in seven innings in his last start, a 6-5 Los Angeles loss at Houston on Wednesday.