Los Angeles @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2012 ) San Francisco 8, LA Dodgers 4
The top two teams in the National League West square off Friday as the division-leading San Francisco Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of their three-game series at AT&T Park. San Francisco remained 4 1/2 games ahead of Los Angeles as both clubs were defeated at home on Wednesday. The Giants dropped a 6-2 decision to the Arizona Diamondbacks, while the San Diego Padres edged the Giants 4-3.
San Francisco was tamed by Trevor Cahill, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and came away with his 10th win of the year. The loss was the second in a row for the Giants following a stretch of six wins in seven contests. The team also has dropped four of five at home. Los Angeles, which went 3-4 on its homestand, battled back from an early three-run deficit but suffered another tough loss to San Diego. The division rivals split the first two games of their series, with each contest being decided in 11 innings.
The Dodgers, who trail St. Louis by 1 1/2 games for the second wild-card spot, close the regular season with a three-game set against the Giants at home.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Josh Beckett (1-1, 2.92 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (8-14, 5.21)
After losing his debut with Los Angeles at Colorado on Aug. 27, Beckett notched his first win in the National League since 2005 on Saturday as he allowed one run and six hits over 6 2/3 innings against Arizona. The 32-year-old has yielded four runs over 12 1/3 frames in two outings with the Dodgers after surrendering at least four in five of his final six starts with Boston. Beckett is 4-3 with a 3.35 ERA in seven career meetings with the Giants.
Despite his disappointing overall season, Lincecum has pitched well since the All-Star break, allowing three runs or less in eight of his 10 starts. The former two-time Cy Young Award winner is coming off a victory at Chicago on Saturday in which he limited the Cubs to two runs and four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Lincecum improved to 7-5 lifetime against Los Angeles on Aug. 21, when he yielded just one run over 5 2/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco RHP Clay Hensley, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin, is eligible to be activated on Tuesday.
2. Dodgers RHP Chad Billingsley's season is over as he was placed on the 60-day DL with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.
3. The Giants are expected to activate OF Jason Christian from the DL in time for Friday's series opener. Christian has been sidelined with a sprained left wrist.