Dodgers Win, Tied for First in the National League

Coming into this series, the Dodgers recalled being swept behind the last time they were here. This time things were vastly different, one month later the Giants had no answer for a team that returned fully loaded.
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Coming into this series, the Dodgers recalled being swept behind the last time they were here. This time things were vastly different, one month later the Giants had no answer for a team that returned fully loaded.

San Francisco got shutout and swept in the Dodgers 4-0 victory. Both teams are now tied for first place in the National League West. This is the first time LA shutout the Giants in back-to-back games in the San Francisco's history.

"Unfortunately, in this game your going to get it handed to you sometimes," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I don't care who you are, it's going to happen sometimes. It was the opposite of what happened last time. That's baseball."

In a classic division rivalry, the Giants knew their backs were against the wall when the Dodgers returned with a full roster. The last time these two teams met they were missing All-Star Matt Kemp, Mark Ellis, Andre Either and newly acquired Hanley Ramirez.

"That's what happens when you're facing one of the best pitchers in the game right now," said Ryan Vogelsong. "One mistake, one run can cost you the game."

Vogelsong had gotten the best of Clayton Kershaw in the previous two match-ups this season. But today he struggled a bit and had no run support. In six innings, Ryan surrendered six hits, two runs (one earned), three walks and five strikeouts.

San Francisco has gone nineteen scoreless innings. They continued to struggle at the plate. Losing four straight games, after winning nine of the last eleven games since the All-Star break is indeed a slump. But the good thing is their is still a lot of baseball left.

Kershaw tossed his 8th career complete game and his fifth shutout of his career today. He allowed five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. His ERA improved to 2.95.

"Any time you sweep the Giants at home regardless of what happened the previous series, it's a big deal," said Clayton. "We've got some momentum going back and we've got to be ready for the Diamondbacks."

San Francisco's woes began when Marcos Scutaro dropped a two-out popup in the infield, with Ramirez reaching third on the play. Luis Cruz followed with a RBI double to score in their first run. Ryan walked A.J. Ellis to load the bases and struck out Kershaw to end the inning.

The Dodgers got two more runs in the eighth when Cruz hit a RBI single scoring James Loney who had previously hit a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Mark Ellis singled on line drive to score in Luis.

"If anything, I think it makes us a little mad, and you have to take it out on the Mets coming in here," explained Vogelsong. "I hope that's what we do."

The Giants were swept for the fourth time this season. This was also the first time they were swept at home by the Dodgers since June 28-30, 2010. The same year San Francisco won the World Series. The Giants will move on and focus on maintaining their position in first place.

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