Thu Apr 3 02:54:56 2008

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Giants edge Dodgers after rain delay

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Tim Lincecum came out of the bullpen to work four innings and earn the win, and Randy Winn's sixth-inning sacrifice fly proved to be the difference in the San Francisco Giants' rain-delayed 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Both Lincecum (1-0) and Dodgers scheduled starter Chad Billingsley were scratched at game time because of impending inclement weather, but when the rains held off through the first three innings, both got loose and ultimately made appearances.

Merkin Valdez was the spot-starter for the Giants, and he tossed two shutout innings before Jack Taschner's scoreless third bridged the gap to Lincecum. The 23-year-old righty then came on to hurl four innings of one-run ball, striking out four to offset four walks and four base hits.

Hong-Chih Kuo threw three shutout frames in the start for LA, and Billingsley ended up getting only one out while allowing one run. The scheduled starter entered in the fifth, after Ramon Trancoso threw a scoreless fourth, but was charged with one run on two hits and did not return following a one-hour, 14- minute rain delay during the fifth inning.

Esteban Loaiza (0-1) took the loss, surrendering a run on two hits and a walk in his 2 2/3 innings.

Loaiza replaced Billingsley after the delay and got a deep flyout and a strikeout to end the inning. But in the sixth, the veteran righty surrendered singles to Lincecum and Eugenio Velez, then walked Rich Aurilia to load the bases with one out. Winn brought home Lincecum with a medium-depth fly to left, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead

Lincecum worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh, getting Russell Martin to look at a called third strike on the outside corner.

Andruw Jones roped a two-out double off Tyler Walker in the eighth, but Brian Wilson induced an inning-ending ground ball from Matt Kemp. Wilson then overcame a leadoff baserunner in the ninth - thanks to an Aurilia error - to earn the four-out save.

Aaron Rowand had the other San Francisco RBI, while Jose Castillo was 2-for-4.

James Loney was 2-for-3 with a double and the lone Dodgers run batted in, while Blake DeWitt had three hits.

The Giants left seven runners on base over the first three innings, but Valdez held LA scoreless until Lincecum eventually came on in the fourth.

Lincecum issued a leadoff walk to the first batter he faced, Martin, and it ultimately hurt. Martin stole second, and came home on Loney's two-out looping single down the left-field line for a 1-0 Dodgers lead.

The Giants got the run back off Billingsley in the top of the fifth, as Winn and Bengie Molina rapped out back-to-back singles, and Winn scored when Loney misplayed a Rowand fly ball to left as the rain began coming down harder. One batter later, the umpires called the Dodgers off the field, and the lengthy delay ensued.

Game Notes

Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa was suspended three games by Major League Baseball earlier Wednesday for his tirade during Tuesday's game...LA was vying for its first season-opening sweep since 1999.