Los Angeles @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2019 ) San Francisco 0, LA Dodgers 5

Despite the fact they are separated by 26 games in the National League West, the San Francisco Giants have seemingly been a persistent thorn in the side of the Los Angeles Dodgers more often than not throughout the season. The Dodgers only need one victory this weekend in order to win the season series from their bitter arch-rival, however, and they'll try to get that Friday when they meet in the opener of a three-game set at San Francisco.

Los Angeles is 9-7 this season against the Giants with the bulk of those losses coming when San Francisco was well under .500 and long before the latter made a brief playoff push shortly after the All-Star break. The Dodgers, who own the best home record in the NL, dropped two of three in Los Angeles against the Giants from Sept. 6-8 before winning 10 of their next 14 after that series - including Thursday's 1-0 victory in San Diego to complete a three-game sweep. San Francisco has won three of four entering its final series of the regular season, presenting a prelude to a fond farewell to retiring manager Bruce Bochy. "All the battles I've had with L.A. - key games, important games, games that have gone to the wire at times - I guess it is fitting that I'll wrap up things against them. As I look across the field at the Dodgers, it's going to be a lot of reflecting for me in that series," Bochy told reporters after his team beat Colorado 8-3 in the rubber match of a three-game set Thursday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (13-4, 3.25 ERA) vs. Giants RH Johnny Cueto (1-1, 2.57)

Buehler, who is a serious contender to draw the start for Game 1 of the NL Division Series, took his first loss in six starts Saturday against Colorado after yielding four runs - including two homers - over six innings. Although he owns a 4.70 ERA in four September turns, the 25-year-old is 5-3 with a 2.95 ERA since the All-Star break. Buehler has a pair of wins in as many starts this season at San Francisco, permitting a total of three runs to go along with 15 strikeouts across 12 1/3 innings.

Cueto's strong return from Tommy John surgery hit a bit of a speedbump Saturday in Atlanta when he took the loss after surrendering four runs on two hits and five walks over four innings. The two-time All-Star was brilliant in his first two turns - both at home - since making his Sept. 10 debut, firing 10 scoreless frames against Pittsburgh and Miami. Corey Seager is 11-for-33 with two homers versus Cueto, who is 7-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 19 career starts versus the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seager, who sat out Thursday with a hamstring injury but is expected to play Friday, is batting .459 with seven extra-base hits (two homers) and nine RBIs during his 10-game hitting streak.

2. San Francisco OF Mike Yastrzemski finished 2-for-3 with a homer Thursday to extend his on-base streak to 17 games - the third-longest run by a Giants rookie since 2000.

3. Los Angeles INF Max Muncy went 2-for-4 and drove in the game's only run in Thursday's win. He also did not strike out, ending a nine-game streak in which he fanned at least once.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 4, Giants 2