San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Aubrey Huff went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI, andTim Lincecum lasted seven innings after a slow start to pace San Francisco to a tight 6-5 triumph over theDodgers in the opener of a three-game series between the National League West rivals.
Lincecum (11-4) battled through the first three frames and held on through seven, scattering seven hits, two walks and two runs while striking out nine for the Giants, who won for the seventh time in nine games despite giving up three runs in the ninth inning.
Rafael Furcal carried Los Angeles' offense by going 3-for-3 with a home run, two walks and a double. Scott Podsednik and Russell Martin each had two hits and a RBI in the club's third straight setback.
Carlos Monasterios (3-3) took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits in five-plus innings.
Giants closer Brian Wilson (back) was unavailable in the ninth, and the Giants used four pitchers -- including a starter -- to barely hold on to their 6-2 lead.
Sergio Romo, who threw a perfect eighth, was pulled after Podsednik tripled off the glove of Andres Torres in center to score Jamey Carroll with one out. Denny Bautista walked the only batter he faced -- Furcal -- andJonathan Sanchez was called in for his first relief appearance of the year and promptly threw a wild pitch that scored Podsednik.
Sanchez struck out Andre Ethier, but was yanked after plunking James Loney, putting the tying run on first.Chris Ray came in and gave up an RBI single to Matt Kemp that left runners on the corners before gettingCasey Blake to ground out to short, notching his first save of the season.
LA stranded a runner on third in the first inning, but got a run in the second when Martin singled home Blake.
Furcal answered Juan Uribe's solo shot in the second with one of his own in the third, though the Dodgers wasted a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the frame as Blake DeWitt struck out and Martin grounded out to first.
Huff put the Giants in front for good with a double off the wall in right- center, scoring Torres and Freddy Sanchez.
It stayed 3-2 in favor of the hosts until the sixth, when Pat Burrell and Pablo Sandoval recorded consecutive two-out, run-scoring doubles.
Huff tacked on an insurance run in the seventh with a deep homer to right off Jeff Weaver, a run that proved important as the Dodgers rallied in the ninth.
Lincecum is 5-1 lifetime against the Dodgers, though he surrendered five runs in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision on July 20...Giants catcher Buster Posey went 1-for-4 a day after having his 21-game hit streak snapped...The Dodgers stranded 10 runners, going 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.