Giants go for two-game sweep in Los Angeles

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May 19, 2011

GIANTS (23-19) vs.
LA DODGERS (20-24)

Coverage begins at 6:30 P.M. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- After struggling to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this season, the San Francisco Giants have finally found some success against their NL West rival.

The Giants seek to sweep a two-game set at Chavez Ravine, beat the Dodgers for a fourth straight time overall and end Chad Billingsley's recent success against them Thursday night.

Cody Ross hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday to help San Francisco (23-19) avoid a third straight loss and beat Los Angeles 8-5. Ross' shot came after the Dodgers tied the game with a three-run eighth in which Giants closer Brian Wilson blew his second save.

REWIND: Ross' blast gives Giants win over Dodgers

"We definitely needed this one," Ross said. "We just keep battling and grinding and don't give up."

San Francisco has won three in a row over Los Angeles (20-24) after losing four of the first five meetings this season. The Dodgers (20-24) have dropped four of five overall.

"It's a tough loss, but at the same time, you take pride in coming back and grow from that," Los Angeles infielder Aaron Miles said.

Ross was 2 for 4 and scored three runs as the Giants totaled scored more than four for the first time in 13 games. Ross is batting .346 with three homers and nine RBIs over his last nine games, but is 1 for 6 lifetime versus Billingsley (2-3, 3.36 ERA).

The Dodgers right-hander hopes for some better luck after he allowed one run, one hit and struck out eight in eight innings of a 1-0 loss to Arizona on Saturday.

It was the fourth time in nine starts that Billingsley pitched at least seven innings, but he is 0-2 in those outings while getting two total runs of support. Billingsley's ERA is 1.64 over his last three starts.

"You can only control what you control," he said.

Now, he looks to win his fourth straight home start against the Giants and improve upon his 5-1 record and 2.56 ERA in eight career outings versus San Francisco at Dodger Stadium. Billingsley allowed a three-run homer to Brandon Belt and four other hits in six innings of a 4-3 home victory over the Giants on April 1.

San Francisco counters with Madison Bumgarner (0-6, 4.25), whose luck may be even worse than Billingsley's and who will try a ninth time for his first win of 2011.

Bumgarner has limited opponents to five earned runs over 25 innings while striking out 25 in his last four starts, but has an 0-3 record to show for it.

The left-hander gave up three runs in six innings of an 11-4 loss at Chicago on Friday.

"He's throwing the ball well enough to get a win," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "But we're just having a hard time finding a way to get him one."

Bumgarner is 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA as a starter versus Los Angeles. The defeat came April 11 at home, when he yielded five runs and four walks in five innings of a 6-1 loss.

Matt Kemp, 3 for 3 against Bumgarner, has homered in each of the last two games for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles outfielder Andre Ethier, who had a 30-game hitting streak snapped earlier this month, is 0 for 17 in his last five games. He's 1 for 6 in his career versus Bumgarner.

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