LOS ANGELES -- The first series between the Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers since last year's National League Division Series was a mismatch on paper. That ended up showing on the field, too.
The Dodgers cruised to a 9-1 win at Dodger Stadium, taking a sweep of the two-game series at Dodger Stadium. A night after they held on in the ninth inning, the NL West leaders never faced much of a challenge.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The Giants failed to take advantage of just about every baserunner through six innings, but they were still sort of hanging around. The Dodgers blew it open in the seventh, though, showing off the deepest lineup in the league and delighting a crowd of 52,000 that showed up for Star Wars Night.
The Dodgers loaded the bases before Gavin Lux hit a slow roller to the right side. Sam Long was slow getting to the bag and Lux, one of the game's fastest players, easily reached as Wilmer Flores' throw to the bag bounced toward the visiting dugout.
Mookie Betts tacked on another run with a deep sacrifice fly and Freddie Freeman broke the game open with a two-run triple.
The final blow of the inning brought "Freddie" chants raining down, but it was probably unnecessary. With several key players still on the IL and others slumping, the Giants managed just two runs on 12 hits in the series.
San Francisco Giants
Back On Track
Coming off one of his worst starts as a Giant, Alex Wood turned things around against former teammates and a lot of close friends. Wood pitched into the sixth, allowing three earned on four hits during a night that was mostly dominant, with the exception of one tough inning.
Wood didn't allow a hit the first time through the order and got five outs on the ground, but Betts led off the fourth with a single and Freeman took some close pitches while drawing a walk. Wood thought he had Trea Turner struck out but he didn't get the call, and Turner dumped a 67 mph single into left field to tie the game. Will Smith's single gave the Dodgers the lead.
Wood still had runners on the corners for Max Muncy and Justin Turner, but he struck out Muncy and got Turner to bounce into an inning-ending double play. He came back out in the fifth and struck out the side, but Betts tagged him for a solo shot in the sixth.
Wood struck out season-high seven, but the Dodgers made him work and his night was over one batter after Betts homered.
Finally, One Gets Out
It can be a little hard to judge offenses at Oracle Park, but this series made it clear: There is something different about the ball. Deep fly ball after deep fly ball died on the warning track in this series, but Crawford did manage to get one just over the wall in the second inning. The homer was his second of the season and the fifth of his career at Dodger Stadium.
In the sixth, Betts got hold of one but it was nearly caught by a leaping Mike Yastrzemski. Both homers would have been 10 rows deep a year ago. Stay hot, MLB.
Can't Get Him Home
The Giants have had to change things up offensively and have done a good job of playing small ball this season, but they weren't able to keep the line moving at all Wednesday night. After Crawford's leadoff homer in the second, they got the leadoff runner on base in each of the next six innings but couldn't score.
RELATED: Giants fan has great reaction after catching Betts' homer
Luis Gonzalez singled to open the third but was stranded on third after a stolen base and opportunistic tag-up. Darin Ruf walked in the fourth but was wiped out by a fielder's choice. Kevin Padlo singled in the fifth but never made it past second. Flores reached on an infield single in the sixth but never advanced. Yastrzemski led off the seventh with a bunt single but Padlo hit into a double play. Joey Bart walked to lead off the eighth and Joc Pederson hit into a double play. Ruf led off the ninth with a single and took second base on fielder's indifference but was stranded there as former Giants reliever Reyes Moronta closed the door on the Dodgers' win.