Los Angeles @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 6, 2014 ) San Francisco 2, LA Dodgers 6

Adrian Gonzalez looks to continue his torrid start Tuesday when the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series against the host San Francisco Giants, who won two of three in Los Angeles earlier this month. Gonzalez has homered in four straight games, and has an extra-base hit in eight consecutive contests while hitting .351 during a nine-game hitting streak. “Man, he’s smoking the ball,” teammate Matt Kemp told reporters. “He’s probably the best hitter in the league right now.”

Both teams enter the series riding a wave of momentum with Los Angeles coming off a three-game sweep in Arizona and the Giants winning two of three against Colorado. The Giants are hoping to generate more offense at home, where they’re hitting .244 through their first six games. Dodgers setup man Brian Wilson, who spent his first seven seasons with San Francisco, is expected to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday after missing two weeks with an elbow injury.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Josh Beckett (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (0-1, 9.90)

Beckett started for the first time in nearly 11 months Wednesday against Detroit and yielded five runs (four earned) over four frames. “I felt good,” Beckett told mlb.com. “It was fun to just have things to work on. I have some things to adjust.” Hunter Pence is 7-for-17 with a home run against the 33-year-old, who is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four career starts against the Giants.

Lincecum has allowed 15 runs in his first two starts, including seven runs in four innings against Arizona on Wednesday. “He was off all night,” manager Bruce Bochy told mlb.com. “That was pretty evident. He didn’t have good stuff or command.” Gonzalez is 11-for-52 with 16 strikeouts against the two-time Cy Young award winner, who is 9-6 with a 2.92 ERA in 23 career games (22 starts) against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. OF Angel Pagan has eight multi-hit games for San Francisco, which is 6-1 when scoring first.

2. The Dodgers have struck out 123 times in their first 13 games.

3. The Giants are batting .162 (6-for-37) with runners in scoring position over the last five games.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Giants 6