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Dodgers-Giants Preview

Apr 29, 2009 - 7:19 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Los Angeles (14-7) at San Francisco (9-10), 10:15 p.m. EDT

There were some concerns about Tim Lincecum's health after his first two starts, neither of which were reminiscent of his Cy Young Award-winning performance of last year.

Those questions have disappeared in his past two outings.

Lincecum has pitched every bit like an ace his last two times out, and he'll look to keep rolling Wednesday night as his San Francisco Giants play the decisive third game of their series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lincecum (1-1, 2.96 ERA) had a serious case of bronchitis during spring training, and he underwent a medical examination following a second straight ugly performance to start the season.

Doctors found nothing wrong with the right-hander, and he proved that to be true in his next two starts. Lincecum pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 13 against Arizona on April 18, not factoring in the decision as the Giants (9-10) lost 2-0.

Facing the Diamondbacks again Friday, Lincecum finally got in the win column. He pitched eight innings, allowing a run while striking out 12 in a 5-1 victory.

"Those are back-to-back great outings for Lincecum. He had great stuff," manager Bruce Bochy told the Giants' official Web site. "We figured out a way to get some runs on the board, but it all starts with the kid on the mound."

Lincecum is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three games - two starts - against Los Angeles (14-7). He struck out 13 over seven innings in his lone start versus the Dodgers last season, yielding a run and four hits in a 3-1 home win Sept. 28.

Los Angeles won 11 of 13 from April 11-25, but had lost back-to-back games heading into Tuesday's contest at AT&T Park. Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier made sure the Dodgers wouldn't drop a third straight, going a combined 5-for-7 with five runs in a 5-3 victory.

Ramirez had three doubles after totaling three in his first 19 games.

"I'm a doubles maniac," Ramirez said. "I set the table now. I'm just trying to get a good pitch to hit."

Ramirez, who's never faced Lincecum, has been on a tear since a relatively slow start. He batted .258 with no homers and four RBIs through his first 10 games, but is hitting .450 (18-for-40) with four homers and 10 RBIs in his past nine contests.

Eric Stults (2-0, 3.52) will get the ball for the Dodgers on Wednesday, and the left-hander has done an admirable job filling Hiroki Kuroda's spot in the rotation since Kuroda was hurt on opening day.

Stults won his first two starts but struggled with his command in his latest outing. He didn't earn a decision Friday at Colorado after allowing seven hits, five walks and three runs over five innings of a 6-5 loss.

Manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official Web site that Stults' performances so far have been "gritty." One of them was a five-inning outing April 16 against San Francisco in which he gave up two runs in a 7-2 win.

Stults is 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA in four starts versus the Giants. San Francisco leadoff hitter Fred Lewis, who tops the NL with 26 strikeouts, is 5-for-6 against Stults.