Game 1 of their four game set at Dodger Stadium featured a pair of young aces -- Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw. Living up to expectations, Kershaw would eventually win the pitcher's duel, thanks to 3 errors by the Giants, allowing a 1-0 lead in the 6th. L.A. would tack on another run in the 8th, before Pat Burrell's solo shot off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton put the Giants on the board in the 9th, ending the shutout. However, the self inflicted wounds would be the difference in the game, as the World Champs dropped their first match of the season, 2-1.
In Game 2, the Giants starting rotation would showcase yet another dominant outing to start the game, before running into some misfortune for the second straight night. Southpaw Jonathan Sanchez appeared to be on top of his game for the Giants, until allowing a walk to the opposing pitcher Chad Billingsley in the 3rd, who went on to score after a ground-rule double hit by Matt Kemp. The Giants would strike back an inning later, with the only offense they had all night, thanks to rookie first baseman Brandon Belt hitting his first big league homer, a 3-run shot over the center field wall. After taking a 3-1 lead into the 6th, the San Francisco defense would commit back-to-back errors, including a comebacker off the glove of Sanchez, allowing the Dodgers to reclaim the lead.
Only a year removed from setting a franchise record for the fewest errors in a season and a .988 fielding percentage which was good enough for 4th best in the league, the Giants have already committed 5 errors. Those errors would prove to be costly as San Francisco was unable to get anything else going on offense, falling once again to their archrivals, 4-3.
Game 3 would sing a different tune, as the Giants poured it on their nemesis in landslide fashion. A usual suspect of the lack of run support, the San Francisco offense would be sure to treat the right-handed Matt Cain to plenty of offense on Saturday, amassing a total 10 runs on 13 hits. Hitting atop of the line-up, Miguel Tejada, Freddy Sanchez and Aubrey Huff combined for 7 hits and 8 RBI's, leading the G-men to their first win of the season, 10-0, as Cain blanked the opposition. 
With a chance to split the series in Game 4, the Giants would hand the ball over to the left-handed Barry Zito for the finale. Having suffered from a car accident just days prior to his outing on Wednesday night, it was unsure if Zito would be effective in his scheduled start, let alone be healthy enough to play. With a few extra nights of rest pitching fourth in the rotation, Zito was given the green light and pronounced ready to go, facing L.A.'s Hiroki Kuroda. Zito, a former Cy Young Award winner while a member of the A's, ran into an early speed bump, as two of the first three Dodger hitters reached base before being brought home on a Matt Kemp homer. After the 3-run 1st, Zito would settle in and was let off the hook thanks to solo blasts by both Pablo Sandoval and Pat Burrell and an RBI single off the bat of Posey.
The Giants bullpen however, missing one of their key pieces in closer Brian Wilson, would be kind enough to give the game right back with contributions from Aubrey Huff who had a hard time covering right field. Diving and missing a ball by several feet was only the beginning of a forgetful day by the veteran Huff who later let a ball soar over his head after being turned around and mislead. The left handed throwing Dan Runzler would be credited with 4 earned runs in the 7th, while recording only one out before Sergio Romo was called upon. The Giants would be a threat the following inning after loading the bases, but only managed to scratch across 1-run with a bases loaded walk by Belt.
With a 3-run deficit heading into the 9th, the pinch-hitting Aaron Rowand led the inning off with a home run, cutting the lead to 2. After a Freddy Sanchez base hit, last year's reigning Rookie of the Year Buster Posey came up to bat with a chance to tie it, but instead grounded out to end the game, sending the defending World Champs to a disappointing 1-3 record to start the season. Stealing a quote from Giants skipper Bruce Bochy who said, "We shot ourselves in the foot" would be a perfect way to sum up the series. Not only did the Giants make a lot of self inflicted miscues, but the Dodgers were fortunate enough to capitalize on them. To say the players are happy to be leaving L.A. would be an understatement.
With an off-day tomorrow, Bruce Bochy and company will make the trip down south of the border to face the San Diego Padres for a 2-game set before the Giants' home-opener on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Though I don't expect the Giants to get swept against the Friars, perhaps a trip home is all they need to get going and be reminded that they're the defending World Champions. On tap for Tuesday's affair will be southpaw Madison Bumgarner facing off against San Diego's newest arm and long time ace of the Reds -- Aaron Harang.
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