San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) – Matt Cain finally got his elusive first win against the rival Dodgers with 7 2/3 shutout innings, and the San Francisco Giants recorded a three-game sweep of Los Angeles with a 2-0 victory.
Cain (9-8) came into the contest with an 0-8 mark for his career against the Dodgers in 14 outings. The righty, though, allowed just four hits and a walk while fanning seven to earn his third straight winning decision. Brian Wilson notched his 31st save.
Edgar Renteria’s two-run triple provided the offense for San Francisco, which recorded its first sweep of the Dodgers since April 24-26, 2007. The Giants have won 21 of their last 27 games and are currently leading the wild card race with the second-best record in the NL.
Clayton Kershaw (10-6), who was making his first start since serving his five- game suspension for hitting Giants outfielder Aaron Rowand, was dealt the hard-luck loss despite yielding just six hits, two runs and four walks in seven frames. The lefty struck out six for the Dodgers, who have lost five straight.
The two talented starting pitchers dueled it out, keeping each team off the board early.
A fielding error allowed the Giants to put runners on first and second with only one away in the second, but Kershaw struck out Renteria and Cain to escape the jam.
Scott Podsednik reached third in the fourth inning for the Dodgers, but Cain was able to induce a groundout from Matt Kemp to keep Los Angeles off the board.
San Francisco squandered an opportunity with the bases loaded in the fourth, but finally broke through in the sixth.
Pat Burrell doubled the other way off the wall in right with one out, and Aaron Rowand was intentionally walked with two away. The move immediately backfired, as Renteria lined a triple into the left-center field gap, giving the Giants a 2-0 advantage.
Cain allowed a two-out single to pinch-hitter Jamey Carroll in the eighth, which prompted the Giants to insert Javier Lopez from the bullpen. Lopez, making his San Francisco debut after being acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh, got Podsednik to ground out to the pitcher to end the inning.
Wilson pitched around a one-out walk in the ninth to secure the victory.
The season series is tied, 6-6…Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier missed the game because his wife is having a child…San Francisco improved to 42-11 when scoring first…The Giants recorded their first home sweep of the Dodgers since June 21-24, 2004…Cain lowered his earned run average to 2.98, while Kershaw lowered his to 2.94…The Dodgers have scored nine runs during their five-game losing streak…Octavio Dotel, acquired by the Dodgers from Pittsburgh, made his debut with LA and pitched a scoreless eighth.