What a nail-biter of a game. There were a couple of points where Giants fans on team blog McCovey Chronicles expected the worst, especially when a bad call or two seemed to be made. It was easy to think that the last game against the Mets would repeat itself and that a blown call would lead inevitably to another loss. But it wasn't to be.
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Nate Schierholtz's two-run homer in the fourth inning proved to be the difference, as the San Francisco Giants held off the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-2, in the opener of a three-game series between these two NL West rivals.
Freddy Sanchez, Pablo Sandoval, and Buster Posey each had an RBI for the Giants, who have won six of seven.
Madison Bumgarner (3-2) lasted 5 2/3 frames, allowing two runs -- one earned -- on six hits to win his third straight start. He also fanned three batters and walked two. Brian Wilson picked up his 26th save of the season.
Rafael Furcal hit a solo homer for the Dodgers, who have dropped five in a row. Matt Kemp drove in the other run.
James McDonald (0-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque prior to the game, gave up four runs on nine hits in a five-inning start. He also struck out five and walked two in his first appearance of the year for Los Angeles. McDonald went 6-1 with a 4.41 earned run average in 12 starts for the Isotopes this season.
The Giants stranded the bases loaded in the second inning, but scored two runs in the third. Andres Torres led off with a double and scored on Posey's two-out single. Sandoval followed with an RBI double to make it 2-0.
Schierholtz's two-run homer to right in the fourth gave San Francisco a 4-0 advantage.
The Dodgers got to Bumgarner in the sixth, as Furcal led off the frame with a homer to left. Jamey Carrollsingled and James Loney walked with two outs. Guillermo Mota replaced Bumgarner on the hill and his errant pickoff throw to second allowed the runners to move up a base. Kemp hit a grounder to third and Sandoval tagged out Loney. However, it was ruled that Carroll crossed the plate before Loney was called out, making it a 4-2 game.
LA left the bases loaded in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Garret Anderson worked a two-out walk, chasing Mota from the contest. Sergio Romo was pulled after giving up a single to Furcal and walking Carroll. Jeremy Affeldtcame on to pitch with the bases loaded, and Andre Ethier grounded out to end the threat.
Sanchez's sacrifice fly in the eighth gave the Giants a 5-2 lead.
Wilson ran into some trouble in the ninth. Russell Martin singled, Furcal singled, and Ethier walked to load the bases with two outs. Casey Blake went down swinging to end the game.
Los Angeles has won five of the first seven matchups with San Francisco this season and was riding a four-game winning streak in the series...Posey extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games...LA was without star outfielder Manny Ramirez (calf)....San Francisco has won 10 of its last 12 games...The Giants recalled infielder/outfielder Eugenio Velez from Triple-A Fresno and optioned pitcher Joe Martinez to Fresno...San Francisco started a seven-game road trip on Monday, while the Dodgers got a seven-game homestand underway...McDonald made his fifth career start...In 45 games (four starts) for LA last season, McDonald went 5-5 with a 4.00 ERA.