Dodgers pound Giants 10-0
SAN FRANCISCO — Matt Kemp remembers the days he would come to San Francisco and draw little notice. He prefers the way it is now.
Kemp homered among his four hits and drove in four runs, Chad Billingsley took a two-hitter into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Giants 10-0 on Saturday.
“It’s cool,” Kemp said of the taunts he gets from the Giants’ fans. “I get a kick out of it. They used to not know who I was.”
Hanley Ramirez had three RBIs in helping the Dodgers beat San Francisco for the second straight day to pull within a game of the NL West-leading Giants.
“He’s like having another Matt Kemp,” Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly said. “You get a guy who can fly and has power.”
Kemp said he’s enjoyed his new teammate.
“He has a pretty swing,” Kemp said. “He’s always been one of my favorite players and now we’re on the same team. Wherever he bats, he’s going to help us.”
Billingsley (6-9) drove in a run for Los Angeles with a sacrifice fly. He gave up leadoff doubles to Buster Posey in the second and Angel Pagan in the fifth, the only baserunners he allowed through seven innings. He gave up two more hits and was lifted with one out in the eighth.
“It looks like he has gotten back on track,” Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy said. “He hit his spots. It was a well-pitched game.”
Barry Zito (8-7) gave up four runs on seven hits over 5 1-3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
The Dodgers got to Zito right away. Mark Ellis opened the game with a sharp single and, one out later, Kemp hit his 15th home run, a drive that sailed halfway up the left field bleachers.
“Kemp has been swinging the bat well,” Zito said. “He took a good swing on a good pitch. It was right where I wanted it.”
Billingsley’s sacrifice fly in the fifth drove in the Dodgers’ third run and Hairston’s RBI double in the sixth ended Zito’s day.
“The last time we were in here we were a different team,” Billingsley said. “Hanley has been a good addition and Kemp hit the home run early and we just continued it.”
The Dodgers tacked on three runs in the seventh on A.J. Ellis’ leadoff home run and back-to-back doubles from Kemp and Ramirez. They added three more in the ninth on Kemp’s fourth hit and Ramirez’s two-run single.
“It’s great to have the whole team together,” Ellis said. “We feel like we can match up with anybody. When Chad is locked in like he was today, he’s as good as anyone in the league.”
Luis Cruz had two hits for the Dodgers, extending his hitting streak to 11.
Marco Scutaro and Brandon Crawford each singled with one out in the eighth, prompting Billingsley’s exit. Javy Guerra came on to get the final five outs.
NOTES: Zito has a first-inning ERA of 6.30. ... Dodgers RHP Rubby De La Rosa will join LHP Ted Lilly at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga for a rehab assignment. ... Giants INF Pablo Sandoval (left hamstring strain) was placed on the DL retroactive to July 25 and INF Emmanuel Burriss was designated for assignment to make room for Scutaro and Aubrey Huff, who was activated from the DL. ... Dodgers’ RHP Matt Guerrier will begin a rehab assignment, though he’s not expected to pitch for the Dodgers again until September. ... LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-6, 3.14) pitches for the Dodgers in Sunday’s series finale. His career ERA of 1.45 (minimum 50 innings) against the Giants is the lowest all-time against the team. ... RHP Ryan Vogelsong (8-4, 2.26) starts for the Giants. ... Billingsley recorded his first career sacrifice fly.