We titled our preview "Giants Offense Seeking Revenge on Clayton Kershaw." That didn't happen, it didn't even come close to happening. Pat Burrell got a slow jog around the bases and that was the entirety of the San Francisco Giants offense in game one of a three-game set at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Burrell had a great game, going 2-2 for with two walks, but he was essentially the only one. Whenever they started to get some kind of offense going, they just stranded base-runners and were shut down.
That kind of thing happens when you put the young Madison Bumgarner up against the team's pitching ace in Kershaw. On Tuesday, things will be a bit more skewed in San Francisco's favor though, when they send their own ace, Tim Lincecum to the mound to take on Chad Billingsley. In his last outing against the Dodgers, Lincecum was handed a loss, despite pitching very well. That loss on his record comes from a Giants defense that was absolutely horrifying. It literally scared children and sent pets scurrying away, that's how bad it was. They bobbled every ball that came their way, and Lincecum suffered because of it.
Chad Billingsley got a win in his first outing, against the Giants when he dueled Jonathan Sanchez. He pitched six innings, gave up five hits and walked one, striking out four - but gave up three earned runs, including a homerun. Still, he got the win due to the inconsistencies of Sanchez and the atrocity of the Giants defense ... pitching well also helped, of course.
Andres Torres is likely still out with an injury, though he's out of the boot and walking on his own now, Aaron Rowand will likely play centerfield again, though he's certainly slowed in his production. It appears he's just a better guy in a pinch.