Los Angeles @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 29, 2015 ) San Francisco 3, LA Dodgers 7

Buoyed by a three-game home sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in April, the San Francisco Giants recovered from one of their worst starts in team history. The Giants hope to continue closing the gap on their archrivals when the Dodgers make a return visit to San Francisco on Tuesday for the opener of a three-game set between the top two teams in the National League West.

San Francisco dropped 10 of its first 14 games before halting Los Angeles’ season-high seven-game winning on April 21 and completed its first sweep of the season with consecutive 3-2 victories, sparking a surge that has seen the reigning World Series champions claim 16 of the following 24 contests. The Giants, who were unable to tally more than six runs in any of their first 32 games, blitzed the Reds by a combined score of 30-12 over the weekend to take the last three of four in Cincinnati – recording at least nine runs in each victory. San Francisco (20-18) will look to cut further into its 4 1/2-game deficit against the Dodgers, who recovered from their only sweep of the season by winning two of three against the Giants in Los Angeles to end April. The Dodgers hit the road after a mildly disappointing 4-3 homestand, but may have bolstered one of their few weak spots when they welcomed back closer Kenley Jansen over the weekend.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Carlos Frias (3-0, 2.89 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Hudson (1-3, 4.57)

Frias continued to fill in seamlessly for the injured Brandon McCarthy on Wednesday, allowing three runs and striking out five over a career-high tying six frames in a no-decision versus Miami. The 25-year-old Dominican, who went 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in two September starts last year, is 2-0, 3.31 in three turns through the rotation this time around. Frias collected his first win of the season after tossing 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings versus the Giants on April 27 and is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA in two appearances against them.

One start after yielding six runs on a career-high 15 hits in a loss to Miami, Hudson settled for a no-decision during Wednesday’s 4-3 setback in Houston. The four-time All-Star was reached for exactly three runs for the third time in four turns and has surrendered eight homers over his last five trips to the mound – more than half the number (15) he allowed in 31 outings last season. Hudson is 0-4 in five starts since his last win against Los Angeles in 2010 and 6-6 with a 4.03 ERA in 17 all-time tries against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers lead the NL in home runs (54) and the majors in run differential (plus-58).

2. San Francisco RF Hunter Pence went 4-for-8 with a homer and five runs scored on Saturday and Sunday in his first two games back since returning from a severe forearm injury suffered in March.

3. Los Angeles C Yasmani Grandal is batting a NL-best .450 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 13 May contests.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Giants 5