Sunday, April 3, 2011

Dodgers rally in seventh to take opening series against Giants

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Dodgers scored four runs in the seventh inning to beat the San Francisco Giants 7-5 Sunday and give them a 3-1 opening series victory over their arch-rivals.
Marcus Thames slugged a RBI triple in the seventh to break a 3-3 tie as the Dodgers scored four runs in the inning.
San Francisco, who had tied it by the top of the seventh after Pat Burrell hit a home run to follow Pablo Sandoval's in the second, fought back with a run in the eighth.
The World Series champions also had the tying run at the plate in the ninth after Aaron Rowand's lead-off home run, before Dodgers' closer Jonathan Broxton got the final out.
Giants' starting pitcher Barry Zito, who was involved in a car crash last week, threw six innings and allowed three runs in a no-decision.
Reliever Dan Runzler was credited with the loss after he allowed four runs in one-third of an inning.
Japanese starter Hiroki Kuroda pitched seven innings, allowed three runs and struck out five in his first win of the season for Los Angeles.
The Dodgers took an early 3-0 led in the first, with outfielder Matt Kemp hitting a two-run home run as he continued his powerful start to the season. He finished the four-game series hitting 5-for-12.
"I feel great right now. Our confidence level is up, we had a good series and did what it takes to win ball games," Kemp told reporters.
"We're having a lot of fun. Our main focus is to work hard, and we're pulling for each other and doing what it takes."

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