Pill Homers, Vogelsong Sharp In Giants Victory Over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (CBS / AP) -- Ryan Vogelsong's intense expression suggested he was locked in from his first pitch. Then he proved it with a season-high 7 1-3 innings of one-run ball.
Brett Pill supplied the offense with a two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw and the San Francisco Giants defeated the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Tuesday night, ending a streak of 12 straight winning decisions at home by the reigning NL Cy Young winner.
Vogelsong (1-2) allowed eight hits while walking three and striking out one.
"I tried to slow myself down. I was rushing through that curveball," he said. "I was leaving that up. I just tried to command the zone better."
The Giants snapped an 0-6 skid against Kershaw with their first win against him since Aug. 1, 2010.
"These games against them seem like they're always close," Vogelsong said. "It definitely feels like there's a little more energy in here after this win. Hopefully this will be the one that gets us going a little bit."
Kershaw hadn't lost at home since April 16, 2011, against St. Louis.
"I don't care about that. It's just frustrating to lose," he said. "It's probably one of the better days I felt this season. I had one rough inning, but overall, I felt pretty good."
The Dodgers loaded the bases against Vogelsong in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu walked, Dee Gordon reached on a bunt single to Vogelsong, and Mark Ellis had a sacrifice bunt. Vogelsong intentionally walked Matt Kemp before turning it over to Javier Lopez, who got Andre Ethier to ground into a double play—one of four the Giants' defense turned a night after committing three errors.
"The defense really picked me up," Vogelsong said. "They made some great plays."
Lopez got the first two outs in the ninth and Santiago Casilla retired Juan Uribe for his sixth save in seven attempts.
Vogelsong pitched into the eighth inning for the first time this season.
"This is as strong as he's been this year as far as both sides of the plate, changing speeds," catcher Buster Posey said. "He's always got such a good focus. That's what's been so impressive."
Kershaw (2-1) had his career-best 10-game overall winning streak end with his first loss since last Aug. 7 at Arizona. He gave up two runs and five hits in eight innings, struck out seven and walked one.
Pill homered over the left field wall on his first pitch from Kershaw in the second inning, scoring Buster Posey who led off with a single. Pill's homer ended a six-game drought for the Giants, and was just their second in their last 10 games.
"Last year he threw me a lot of first-pitch fastballs," said Pill, who recalled going hitless in six at-bats with four strikeouts against Kershaw last season. "Luckily, he left one over the plate. After that he didn't throw that again."
The Dodgers' run came on James Loney's RBI double in the bottom of the second that snapped his 0 for 13 skid. It was the fewest runs they scored in a loss since a 12-0 defeat at Houston on April 22.
NOTES: Giants CF Angel Pagan left the game in the eighth inning with tight left hamstring. Bochy said he may give him a night off Wednesday. ... Dodgers LF Juan Rivera also went out in the eighth after feeling discomfort in his left leg. ... The Giants improved to 7-7 in one-run games this season; while the Dodgers dropped to 9-6. ... Kershaw came within a win of tying Carl Erskine for the longest home winning streak in franchise history. ... Former Dodgers 3B Casey Blake retired Tuesday. The 38-year-old spent spring training with Colorado, but was released in late March and attracted little interest from other teams. Blake played parts of four seasons in Los Angeles, although last season was interrupted by three stints on the DL and neck surgery. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly says he could see Blake working as a major league coach. ... Dodgers INF Jerry Hairston missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring.
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