Dodgers’ lead dwindles, Ryu hurt in 9-0 loss to SF

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ division lead is dwindling and manager Don Mattingly suddenly faces another concern for the stretch run.

Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu was removed after one inning in Friday night’s 9-0 loss to the rival San Francisco Giants after experiencing tightness and pain in his pitching shoulder.

It’s similar to the injury that landed Ryu (14-7) on the disabled list in May and could threaten his availability for the remainder of the season. The Dodgers are already missing right-hander Josh Beckett.

“I’m staying positive. I believe it’s just one of those things,” Ryu said through a translator. “I felt this before in the past, so hopefully it will be the same time that it took to recover from that. But I’m not too concerned.”

Madison Bumgarner struck out eight and took a share of the major league lead with 18 wins as the Giants pulled within a game of Los Angeles in the NL West race.

San Francisco, which leads the wild-card chase, is one game back of Los Angeles for the first time since Aug. 4. The Giants have won a season-best 10 straight home games after handing the Dodgers their fifth shutout loss.

Pinch-hitter Travis Ishikawa splashed a three-run homer into McCovey Cove, and Brandon Crawford hit a two-run drive in the fifth to help Bumgarner win his fifth straight start. Buster Posey and Crawford hit RBI doubles in the first as the Giants jumped on Ryu.

“It’s one of the most important games of the season today. I knew that very well,” said Ryu, who also missed time in August with a hip injury. “As a starting pitcher, giving up four runs in the top of the first inning, giving that burden to my teammates, was a very ugly feeling.”

Mattingly didn’t know the severity of Ryu’s injury. The pitcher will be re-examined Saturday in the Bay Area.

Bumgarner (18-9) reached 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career when he fanned Scott Van Slyke in the second. The lefty is tied with Dodgers Sunday starter Clayton Kershaw, Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto and the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright for most wins in the majors.

Los Angeles lined up its top starters for this series, while Giants manager Bruce Bochy opted to keep his pitchers on their regular schedule because things have been working well so far in September.

“It’s for first place. We’re a game behind them,” Crawford said. “We know the stakes.”

The Dodgers had the best road record in baseball and swept the Giants in three games at AT&T Park from July 25-27 — outscoring San Francisco 17-4.

“It’s live theater every night, we just don’t know the ending here,” Mattingly said before the game.

Posey hit an RBI double in the first that sent the orange towel-twirling fans into a frenzy. Hunter Pence followed with a run-scoring single, then Joaquin Arias added an RBI single.

San Francisco’s home winning streak is its longest since an 11-game run from July 7-25, 2003, which is the best in the 15-year history of AT&T Park. The shutout matched the Giants’ largest at home against the Dodgers since moving to San Francisco in 1958.

The Giants also beat Los Angeles 9-0 on June 25, 1968.

Bumgarner needs two wins over his final three starts to become the Giants’ first 20-game winner since John Burkett (22) and Bill Swift (21) in 1993. Bumgarner has 207 strikeouts, most in a season by a San Francisco left-hander.

Ishikawa’s second career pinch-hit homer was the 102nd into the water and 67th by a San Francisco hitter.

“It’s a big series,” Bochy said. “Any time you can jump ahead, it’s huge for the club.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Paco Rodriguez, on the disabled list since Aug. 4 with strained muscle below his pitching shoulder, threw a simulated game that went well. If he bounces back fine, Mattingly said a decision could be made as soon as Saturday about activating Rodriguez.

Giants: 1B Brandon Belt took batting practice a day after being medically cleared from a concussion. … OF-1B Michael Morse missed his 10th straight game with a strained left oblique. He took some pregame swings but still needs at least a couple of days.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Zack Greinke (14-8, 2.73 ERA) puts his unbeaten mark against NL West opponents this season on the line in the middle game of the series. He is 9-0 in 12 starts vs. the division.

Giants: RHP Tim Hudson (9-10, 3.12) makes his 16th career start against the Dodgers and second this season, trying to end a two-start skid.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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