The Dodgers won their fifth straight game Thursday night, besting the Giants 7-2 in front of 36,553 at Dodger Stadium. The winning streak has been bookended so far by wins from recent callup Eric Stults.
Stults was again serviceable tonight, allowing two runs in five innings, evening his career record as a starter to 6-6 with a 3.90 ERA over 16 starts. Ronald Belisario, one night after his only mistake of the young season, came back with a strong two innings, allowing only two hits.
Rafael Furcal lead off the game with a home run, the twelfth time he has done so as a Dodger. Leading 3-2 in the sixth inning, the Dodgers broke the game open with three runs, highlighted by a two-run double by pinch-hitter Doug Mientkiewicz. However, Mientkiewicz needlessly slid head first into second base and dislocated his shoulder. An MRI is scheduled for Friday, but it would appear he's headed for the disabled list.
Mark Loretta also had a pinch hit, giving the Dodgers five hits in 12 pinch-hit at-bats, plus two walks for a batting line of .417/.500/.417.
Manny Ramirez went 0-4 with two strikeouts, lowering his batting average to .258. He was walked intentionally in the second inning, however, giving him a major league leading 13 walks.
After sweeping the Giants for the first time since July 2007, the 7-3 Dodgers welcome the 4-4 Rockies to town for three games. Randy Wolf starts against Jorge De La Rosa on Friday night.