San Francisco @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 1, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 0, San Francisco 2
The Los Angeles Dodgers have shipped Manny Ramirez out of town and are running out of time to make a late run at the National League wild card berth. The San Francisco Giants are suddenly able to shift their focus from the wild card to a division crown.
In other words, both teams have plenty to play for over the next three days when the Giants and Dodgers square off at Dodger Stadium.
San Francisco, obviously, is in much better shape as the all-important month of September gets rolling. Because the first-place San Diego Padres have lost seven consecutive games, the Giants have quickly trimmed their deficit in the National League West to three games.
In the wild card race, the Giants trail the Philadelphia Phillies by two games. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are on the outer fringes of the hunt, eight games behind the Phillies.
Los Angeles certainly feels confident in Friday’s series opener against San Francisco with Chad Billingsley on the mound against Barry Zito.
Billingsley has an 0.83 earned-run average in three starts against the Giants this season. The right-hander has allowed just two runs and 12 hits in 21 2/3 innings and hurled his second career shutout by blanking the Giants on five hits on July 21.
Zito started the season strong and has seen his comeback season deteriorate badly. He has lost six straight decisions since his last victory in mid-July.
That 5-0 record in early May now stands at 8-10. Zito’s ERA is a season-worst 4.07 after remaining below 3.00 into early June.
Zito is 6-6 with a 3.83 career ERA against Los Angeles, while Billingsley is 5-2 with a 2.98 ERA against San Francisco.
Billingsley (10-8. 3.73 ERA) is just 1-3 over his last six starts since a post-All-Star break stretch in which he didn’t allow a single run in 21 2/3 innings against the Giants (twice) and Padres (once).
Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp owns a .425 (17-for-40) career average against Zito, while first baseman James Loney has an anemic .077 (2-for-26) average against the Giants’ lefty.
Los Angeles hopes to see shortstop Rafael Furcal (back) return to the lineup during the series. Furcal, who hasn’t played since Aug. 2, is batting .316.
Giants center fielder Andres Torres has seven homers and 31 RBIs in 45 games since the All-Star break. Prior to the break, Torres had seven homers and 29 RBIs in 77 games.
The Dodgers and Giants have split 12 previous meetings this season. Los Angeles has the best division record (30-18) among the NL West teams while San Francisco is just 23-27.