Dodgers beat Matt Cain with 4-2 victory over Giants

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Some day there might actually be an explanation. Possibly, anyway.

Whether logic actually enters into it is an entirely other matter.

What the Dodgers know for certain right now is: They absolutely own Matt Cain. All 6-feet-3 and 235 pounds of him. Own his wide screen, his dog, the dirt in his shoes, and mostly, his right arm.

After the Dodgers beat the Giants 4-2 Tuesday, Cain was left 0-8 lifetime against the Dodgers.

One of the game’s most admired right-handers, and he hasn’t beaten the Dodgers a single time in 14 career starts.

More good news for the Dodgers: The Giants have him signed for another two years.

The Dodgers don’t necessarily destroy him -- he has a career 4.32 ERA against L.A. -- they just find ways to beat him.

They managed it Tuesday despite losing Manny Ramirez to a hamstring injury in the first inning, thanks to a three-RBI night by James Loney and a much-needed strong start by John Ely.

Loney singled in one run in the first, but the Giants got it back in the bottom of the inning on an Aubrey Huff sacrifice fly.

It was still a 1-1 game in the fifth when singles by Rafael Furcal and Russell Martin left runners on the corners with no outs. It looked like it was going to be a frustrating inning for the Dodgers when Andre Ethier flied out softly to second and Matt Kemp -- benched for the third consecutive game but came on to replace Ramirez -- struck out.

But that brought up Loney. After Martin smartly stole second, the Giants could have intentionally walk the left-handed hitting Loney. Instead, Cain pitched to him and Loney singled sharply to center to score two.

Loney took second on the throw home and then scored on a Casey Blake base hit.

The Dodgers had their 4-1 lead, and Cain his deepening mystery. He entered Sunday 6-6 on the season, but with a 2.72 ERA.

The Dodgers needed a long outing from Ely, who had lost three consecutive starts, because their bullpen was used up. It was without the service of their most dependable relievers -- Jonathan Broxton and Hong-Chih Kuo, and they didn’t want to use Ronald Belisario.

But Ely went seven innings, holding the Giants to the one run on five hits. He walked three and struck out five.
Ramon Troncoso and George Sherrill kept the Giants scoreless in the eighth. Ex-Giant Justin Miller gave up a solo home run to Pat Burrell and couldn’t finish the ninth to earn the first save of his six-year career. Instead, Belisario got the final out to earn his first career save.

The Dodgers are now 20-5 against teams from the National League West.

-- Steve Dilbeck