Dodgers’ spirits still high despite 8-1 loss to Giants

Reporting from San Francisco -- Who are these guys?

These Dodgers score runs. They come from behind. They win.

Even with their record dropping back to a game under the .500 mark with an 8-1 defeat to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday at AT&T Park, the Dodgers have won each of their last six series.

Only one team is playing better than the Dodgers, who have won 15 of their last 19 games. That would be the team they play host to at Dodger Stadium over the next three days, the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won 16 of their last 19.

At the conclusion of the Dodgers’ 11-day trek, Manager Don Mattingly addressed his team.

“I’m proud of these guys, the way they’ve battled on this trip,” Mattingly said.

They won three games in three cities in three days, beating the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium, the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. (The game against the Pirates made up for a rainout in May.)

They ended the series in Atlanta in a day game and faced the Washington Nationals in a day game the next day.

Their 7-3 trip included three come-from-behind victories. They scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning or later five times, including three times in the ninth inning.

“Even if we don’t come back, what we’ve done is create that belief that we will,” pitcher Ted Lilly said.

But resolve without ability doesn’t win games, which is why the addition of Juan Rivera and the resurgence of James Loney were crucial. Suddenly, Matt Kemp has real threats hitting in front (Loney) and behind him (Rivera).

A run-producing machine in the first half of last season, Loney transformed into one of baseball’s worst offensive first basemen, only to turn back into a force in recent weeks. The change has been so dramatic that Mattingly has often joked that Loney must have been abducted by aliens.

“It’s more indicative of how he’s hit throughout his career,” General Manager Ned Colletti said. “The games he had in L.A. before we came on this trip, he demonstrated some pull-side power. It’s there. He can do it.”

Until recently, Loney was expected to be cut loose by the Dodgers this winter. That is no longer the case.

Another benefit, in Tony Gwynn Jr.’s view, is the increased stability of the lineup.

“When you have guys coming in and out of the lineup, when you have roster turnover, it makes it hard for chemistry to settle in,” Gwynn said.

Only two players landed on the disabled list after the All-Star break: infielder Juan Uribe and reliever Kenley Jansen.

Most of the veterans who went down with season-ending injuries haven’t played in more than a month — Andre Ethier and Casey Blake are the exceptions — allowing young players such as closer Javy Guerra and slick-fielding infielder Justin Sellers to emerge. Trading Rafael Furcal to the St. Louis Cardinals created an opportunity for Dee Gordon.

“Everybody is comfortable at this point,” Gwynn said.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com