Dodgers To Face Giants In Crucial 3-Game Series In San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers visited AT&T Park, they swept the San Francisco Giants to overtake their rivals for an NL West lead they've yet to relinquish.

Considering who they're sending to the mound in this three-game set, the Dodgers seem poised to increase that advantage.

Hyun-jin Ryu gets the ball in Friday night's opener and the Giants counter with Madison Bumgarner, who looks to tie for the major league lead with his 18th victory.

Los Angeles (83-63) moved ahead of San Francisco with a three-game sweep July 25-27, as Ryu, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw each picked up a win. The Dodgers are 6-2 this season against the Giants in games started by that trio.

Dan Haren beat San Diego 4-0 on Wednesday night for Los Angeles' fifth victory in six games, giving it four starters with at least 13 victories for the first time since Orel Hershiser, Fernando Valenzuela, Jerry Reuss and Bob Welch did it in 1985.

Greinke faces Tim Hudson on Saturday before Kershaw and Yusmeiro Petit oppose each other in Sunday's finale. The Dodgers enter the series with a two-game lead.

"Obviously, they've been marked on our calendar for awhile," Kershaw told MLB's official website.

Ryu (14-6, 3.16 ERA) will try to get the Dodgers off to a solid start after going 5-1 with a 2.24 ERA over his last eight starts. He gave up two runs and struck out nine in 6 2-3 innings of the Dodgers' 5-2 win over Arizona on Saturday.

The left-hander has 55 strikeouts against just seven walks over 52 1-3 innings during that 5-1 stretch. The only homer he's allowed in that time was a solo shot to Buster Posey on July 27, when Ryu gave up three runs over six innings of a 4-3 win.

Ryu also beat the Giants on April 17, but was tagged for a career-worst eight runs - six earned - in two innings of an 8-4 loss April 4. Another solid outing could help Los Angeles extend its lead over the Giants (81-65), who have won 12 of 15 after beating Arizona 6-2 on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep.

Bumgarner (17-9, 3.02) has posted a 2.06 ERA over his last five starts and has won four straight, though he wasn't very sharp while giving up three runs and a season worst-tying 10 hits in six innings of Saturday's 5-4 win over Detroit.

It marked the first time in 151 career starts, including the postseason, that Bumgarner failed to strike out a single batter.

"That's part of the growth of a pitcher," manager Bruce Bochy said. "You go out there 10 times, you're only going to have your best stuff maybe half the time."

The left-hander has had great stuff against the Dodgers recently, going 6-2 with a 1.81 ERA in his last eight starts against them, including three this season. Bumgarner gave up a homer to Yasiel Puig over eight innings of a 3-1 victory the last time he faced Los Angeles on May 9.

Bumgarner also will have to contend with a red-hot Carl Crawford, who tied the Dodgers' franchise record with three doubles Wednesday. He went 9 for 12 with a homer and five RBIs in the three-game set with the Padres and is hitting .434 since Aug. 10.

"This has been one of the most positive years for me," Crawford said. "It gives you confidence going into the next game."

The Giants, who lead the NL wild-card race, also enter this set with some swagger.

"There's nobody in this clubhouse who believes we can't get it done," said Thursday's winning pitcher Jake Peavy. "There's a championship pedigree around here."

Posey looks to stay hot for the Giants after going 3 for 5 on Thursday. He's hitting .463 over his last 19 games.