(SportsNetwork.com) - The San Francisco Giants aim for another win over the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday night in the continuation of a four-game series at Chavez Ravine.
The Giants took Thursday's opener by a 3-1 score in 10 innings, as Angel Pagan scored on pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez's sacrifice fly and Brandon Belt stroked an RBI single in the top of the 10th inning. Sergio Romo took care of the Dodgers in the home half for his 11th save of the season.
"I was looking to hit a fly ball," Sanchez said. "I hit it well. I had to be ready in that situation. That's my job."
Ryan Vogelsong pitched well in the no-decision and limited the Dodgers to a run over 7 1/3 innings.
Brandon Hicks homered for San Francisco, which ended a two-game slide and won for the 11th time in the last 14 games. The Giants are 5-2 on a 10-game road trip.
Madison Bumgarner was able to get back on track his last time out and will take the mound for the eighth time this season for the Giants. Bumgarner had lost his previous three starts until defeating Atlanta on Sunday at Turner Field.
Bumgarner limited the Braves to an unearned run in six innings of a 4-1 victory and had given up at least two runs in each of his previous five trips to the mound (14 total). Bumgarner, who fanned nine Atlanta batters, is 3-3 with a 3.18 earned run average on the season and is just 1-2 in three home starts.
The left-hander is 1-1 in two starts against the rival Dodgers this season and 9-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 14 career meetings (13 starts) with them.
Los Angeles lost for the fifth time in seven tries last night and J.P. Howell was saddled with the loss for putting the go-ahead run on base. Josh Beckett started for the Dodgers and held San Francisco to a run over 6 2/3 innings.
"Josh was good again," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "That's encouraging for us. He changed his speeds. He used his breaking ball. It's disappointing we couldn't get him a win."
Drew Butera provided the scoring for L.A. by plating Matt Kemp with a sac fly in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Dodgers opened a seven-game homestand on a sour note and will also welcome the Miami Marlins to Chavez Ravine on the stay. Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe left Thursday's game with a hamstring issue and is day-to-day.
Paul Maholm draws the start for the Dodgers Friday and is 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA in eight games (5 starts). Maholm earned his first win in a Dodger uniform on April 26 versus Colorado and tossed seven innings of two-run ball in that one.
Maholm then posted a no-decision in Saturday's 9-7 win at Miami and surrendered three runs and nine hits in six innings. He has lasted at least five innings in his past four appearances, but has given up five or more hits in each outing over that time.
In two starts against the Giants this season, Maholm is 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA. The left-hander has made 12 career starts against San Francisco, going 2-4 with a 4.23 ERA in that time.
The Giants have played well this season against Los Angeles, going 5-2, and are 10-3 in the past 13 matchups between the division foes.
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