LDN - Sports

Turner homer hands Dodgers 1-0 win over Giants

[August 25, 2016] LOS ANGELES -- Rich Hill upstaged Johnny Cueto, and the Los Angeles Dodgers added to the woes of the reeling San Francisco Giants.

Justin Turner's homer was the difference as the Dodgers recorded a 1-0 victory over the rival Giants on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

"Every win is big," Turner said. "Obviously, I don't think we've fared too well in one-run games this year. To win a one-run game against those guys late in the year is definitely big for us."

The victory boosted the Dodgers' cushion in the National League West to three games over the Giants, who lost their fourth in a row. San Francisco (68-58) fell for the eighth time in its past nine games at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles (71-55) won its fourth straight.

Hill won his Dodgers debut after sitting out a month due to blisters on his left middle finger. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowing five hits (all singles) with three strikeouts and no walks

"Everything felt solid," said Hill, who is 7-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his past nine starts. "Just mentally, it felt great. Body feels good. Just being able to consistently stay again pitch to pitch in the moment is extremely advantageous. Again, the play from the guys behind me was incredible."

Hill, who was acquired by the Dodgers from the Oakland Athletics along with Josh Reddick on Aug. 1, improved to 10-3 overall on the season. He is 3-1 in six career starts against San Francisco.

"The intensity was extremely exciting with the crowd into it and guys making incredible plays behind me," Hill said.

Relievers Pedro Baez, Adam Liberatore and Joe Blanton combined to blank the Giants for two innings. Closer Kenley Jansen earned his 37th save by striking out two in a perfect ninth. Jansen tied Jim Brewer's franchise mark for career strikeouts by a reliever with 604.

"Tip your cap to Rich and the bullpen. They came in and did an unbelievable job," said Turner, who went 2-for-3 and homered for the 20th time in 61 games since June 10.

Cueto (14-4) delivered a solid outing, allowing one run in six innings. He struck out six, walked one and gave up four hits. However, a lack of run support and Turner's home run cost Cueto and the Giants.

"It's part of the game. You win 1-0; you lose 1-0. There is nothing you can do, it's part of the game," said Cueto, who is 2-1 with a 1.60 ERA in his past five starts at Dodger Stadium. "You just keep on grinding and keep your head up."

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez went 1-for-3 and extended his hitting streak to 17 games, while Corey Seager had his end at 14 in a row with an 0-for-4 outing.

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Dodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick (47) celebrates with center fielder Joc Pederson (31) and right fielder Josh Reddick (11) after defeating the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Giants left fielder Angel Pagan went 0-for-3 with walk, snapping his 19-game hitting streak. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence each had two of San Francisco's six hits.

The Giants threatened in the eighth, putting runners at the corners with two outs. However, Blanton forced Brandon Crawford to fly out to Reddick on the warning track in right.

"I thought I might have enough," said Crawford, who finished 0-for-4. "(The ball) got in on me a little bit, so I didn't square it up quite as well as I would have wanted to. But I thought it might have been enough. Obviously, it wasn't."

Cueto retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced -- a walk to Yasmani Grandal in the second being the only blemish -- before Turner smacked a 1-1 pitch into the bleachers in left-center with one out in the fourth. It was Turner's club-leading 24th home run of the season.

"It was a cutter, but it stayed up in the middle of the plate," Cueto said.

Turner collected two of the Dodgers' five hits.

NOTES: The Dodgers reinstated LHP Rich Hill (blisters on left middle finger) from the 15-day disabled list and placed INF/OF Rob Segedin on the paternity list. Segedin and his wife celebrated the birth of their first child Tuesday night. ... The Giants homered just 27 times in their previous 35 games in the second half, tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals for the fewest homers among all major league teams entering play Wednesday. ... Struggling San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt was moved from the No. 3 spot in the batting order to No. 7, and he went 0-for-3 with a walk. Belt is batting .209 since the All-Star break. ... Los Angeles INF/OF Enrique Hernandez turned 25. ... Giants LHP Matt Moore (7-10, 4.18 ERA) will oppose Dodgers RHP Ross Stripling (3-4, 4.04 ERA) in the series finale Thursday. ... The game drew a crowd of 43,957.

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