Dodgers use big innings to beat Giants

LOS ANGELES -- The Giants had one big inning on Monday night but the Dodgers had two, and the result was an 8-3 win for the home team to open a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

After hitting into four double plays in six innings against Tim Lincecum last Wednesday in San Francisco, the Dodgers put five runners on base in the first two innings but failed to score, lining into a double play in the first inning then stranding Carl Crawford's leadoff triple in the second.

But in the third inning all those little cracks led to the floodgates opening up. Seven of the first eight batters reached in the inning, including two different sequences of three straight hits.

The four-run inning gave Dodgers starter Brett Anderson some breathing room, but with two outs in the fifth inning he ran into some trouble.

A walk to Brandon Crawford was followed by two singles and a double, slicing the Dodgers' lead in half. Then manager Don Mattingly, on a night he had a well-rested, nine-man bullpen at his disposal, pulled Anderson one out shy of qualifying for a win.

"I just can't walk Crawford there," Anderson said. "After two quick outs, I couldn't find the zone."

"Brett was good early, it just seemed like he lost steam there," said manager Don Mattingly.

Carlos Frias entered and, though he allowed a single and a walk to let in on inherited run, he got Justin Maxwell to bounce back to the box with the bases loaded to end the inning with a 4-3 lead. Frias also pitched a scoreless sixth inning to earn the victory in relief.

Joc Pederson had two highlights on the night. First was this running catch in the first inning, good enough for a double play.

Uh, double up. pic.twitter.com/eAt3hy5kfB

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 28, 2015

Then Pederson, who doubled home a run in the third-inning rally, hit a solo home run to right field in the sixth inning to widen the Dodgers lead. Pederson was 2-for-3 with a walk, and is hitting .296/.458/.556 on the season.

"We just think Joc will keep improving. He's got a really good eye. He's going to strikeout less as time goes on," Mattingly said. "As he sees pitchers and knows how they're attacking him, and how to set himself up, he's going to get better."

Adam Liberatore pitched a perfect seventh inning, then Yimi Garcia set down the heart of the Giants order in the eighth inning save for a rolling single by Buster Posey.

The Dodgers' second big inning came in the eighth, when Justin Turner launched a three-run home run to center field, his first of the year. Three-run home runs have plagued the Giants to date this season.

Make that five three-run homers allowed by #sfgiants this year. Six all of last year.

— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) April 28, 2015

Turner's home run was the third pinch-hit home run by the Dodgers this season, with the other two hit by ... you guessed it, Alex Guerrero. Dating back to last season, Turner has a home run in three of his last five at-bats against the Giants at Dodger Stadium.

Monday particulars

Home runs: Joc Pederson (3), Justin Turner (1)

WP - Carlos Frias (1-0): 1⅓ IP, 1 hit, 1 walk

LP - Tim Lincecum (1-2): 4 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts