Major League Baseball

Ryu, 2 relievers help Dodgers stifle Giants 2-1

Published Sep. 25, 2013 7:29 a.m. ET

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Dodgers manager Don Mattingly hasn't figured out his pitching rotation for the playoffs just yet. It's a good bet Hyun-Jin Ryu will be a part of it.

The South Korean lefty had another stellar outing in his next-to-last bid to make an impression on Mattingly and his staff, combining with two relievers on a five-hitter that sent Los Angeles past the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Tuesday night.

In doing so, Ryu cemented himself as a viable NL Rookie of the Year contender. He just might have secured a start in the playoffs as well.

''We haven't made any decision on who it's going to be, but I've always been comfortable with Hyun-Jin, the way he pitches,'' Mattingly said. ''We think he's been great all year long. We couldn't have asked for anything more than what he's given us.''

Matt Kemp hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the sixth inning for the Dodgers. Yasiel Puig also went deep after getting hit by a pitch from Giants starter Matt Cain earlier in the game.

Carl Crawford added three hits for the NL West champions, who have won three straight.

Ryu (14-7) struck out six and walked one to tie Shelby Miller of St. Louis for most wins by a rookie in the National League. He retired 13 of his first 15 batters until Tony Abreu's home run in the fifth, then set down eight of the next 10 before giving way to Brian Wilson.

Ryu is expected to make one more start in the Dodgers' regular-season finale against Colorado on Sunday. He said he hasn't even begun to think about the playoffs.

''My goal is to finish out the regular season,'' Ryu said. ''I'll start thinking about the postseason once the regular season is done.''

The Giants got just one runner past first base and were held to no more than one run for the third time in four games.

''We just couldn't get much off them offensively,'' San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. ''We're cold right now. The pitching was there but we just couldn't get the runs on the board.''

Mattingly had Ryu warm up to begin the eighth before calling for Wilson. The bearded former Giants closer, who was so instrumental in the franchise's World Series run in 2010, received a mixed response from the crowd at AT&T Park as he trotted in from the bullpen.

''It wasn't no dramatics there,'' Mattingly said of the move. ''Just get three outs.''

Facing his former club for the third time this season, Wilson did just that. He retired all three batters he faced, striking out pinch-hitter Gregor Blanco and Juan Perez looking.

Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his career-high 28th save. He struck out Pablo Sandoval with the potential tying run at second to end it.

Cain (8-10) pitched seven solid innings but took the loss after giving up the home runs to Kemp and Puig. Cain, who might still make one more start this season, struck out four and walked three.

He didn't get much support from San Francisco's offense. Angel Pagan singled twice for the Giants, whose only other hits came on an infield single by Cain in the fifth and a single by Buster Posey in the ninth.

The defending World Series champs, beginning their final homestand of the season, have scored only six runs in the last 49 innings.

Cain pitched with runners on base in each of the first four innings but worked out of each jam. In the fourth he walked the bases loaded, then got Mark Ellis to strike out looking for the third out.

Puig's towering home run to center with one out in the fifth ended the shutout bid.

Abreu, starting at second base after Bochy opted to shut down Marco Scutaro for the remainder of the season, tied it with his second homer in the bottom half.

It was one of the few mistakes Ryu made.

Ryu also singled leading off the seventh but strayed too far off first base and was picked off by Posey.

Kemp bailed out his pitcher with a leadoff homer against Cain in the sixth. The center fielder is batting .333 (8 for 24) since returning from the disabled list on Sept. 16.

''(Cain has) been tough on him throughout the years, so it was good to see him get him,'' Mattingly said of Kemp. ''He looks comfortable, for the most part.''

NOTES: The Dodgers' bullpen has allowed two hits over 12 2-3 innings since Sept. 19. ... San Francisco minor league 3B Nathanael Javier (Dominican Summer League) was suspended 50 games for violating baseball's minor league drug program.

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