Offense stalls against Zito

Two more Dodgers streaks fell by the wayside Friday night.

Starting pitcher Chad Billingsley’s unbeaten record this year and nine-game winning streak at Dodger Stadium ended when the San Francisco Giants defeated the Dodgers, 3-1, one night after the Dodgers’ 13-game home winning streak ended.

Billingsley, 24, hoped to become the National League’s first six-game winner but instead dropped to 5-1 after giving up three earned runs, eight hits and four walks in seven innings in front of 51,209.

It also was the right-hander’s first loss to the Giants in five decisions.

The Giants’ win lifted San Francisco (14-14) to within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Dodgers (21-10) in the National League West Division.

The Giants broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning by loading the bases against Billingsley, who then gave up a deep outfield out to Edgar Renteria that allowed Juan Uribe to tag up from third and score.

Emmanuel Burriss, who also had tagged and moved to third on the out, then scored on an infield single by Pablo Sandoval.

Renteria was on third with one out in the sixth when Aaron Rowand hit a fly to foul territory in shallow right field. Right-fielder Andre Ethier, opting to trade a run for an out, caught the ball rather than letting it drop foul, allowing Renteria to tag and score.

The Dodgers managed only one run against Giants starter Barry Zito (1-2) when Casey Blake doubled to left field in the sixth inning to drive in Matt Kemp from third.

Billingsley escaped a big jam in the fourth. After walking Edgar Renteria and Aaron Rowand, and hitting Travis Ishikawa to load the bases with two out, Billingsley struck out Juan Uribe to end the threat.

Ethier’s role

So many voice mails and text messages were left on Andre Ethier’s cellphone Thursday morning that when the right fielder woke up that day, he was convinced he had been traded.

Wrong.

But news of Manny Ramirez’s suspension still meant a change for Ethier. Instead of hitting behind Ramirez, Ethier would have to hit in place of Ramirez, as Manager Joe Torre moved him from third to fourth in the lineup.

Pressure? What pressure?

“Not any more than I had to hit behind him,” Ethier said. “If I don’t hit, he doesn’t get pitched to. I don’t know what’s more pressure than that.”

Ethier’s form with Ramirez hitting behind him convinced Torre he was ready for the role. In his 18 games as the Dodgers’ cleanup hitter, he hit .338 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in. Overall, Ethier entered Friday’s game with a club-leading 27 RBIs.

“He’s been our most consistent guy,” Torre said. Ethier was one for four Friday night and was hitting .310.

Manny reaction

Dodgers fans have a right to be sad -- or angry -- about Ramirez using a banned substance, but overall they’re likely to again embrace the slugger after his 50-game suspension, Torre said.

“I think they’d welcome him back, I really do,” Torre said before Friday’s game. “I’ve only been out here a year, but that’s my sense from just the people I’ve been exposed to.”

But Torre said he understood why fans would be upset.

“Everybody has a right to do whatever they want, think the way they want, as long as you don’t throw anything,” he said.

“People pay their money to come through the turnstiles, they’re certainly entitled to voice their opinion,” he said.

“That’s their outlet, that’s what they’re here to do, they’re here to have some fun and not really worry about your problems [but] get away from theirs.”

Short hops

Hiroki Kuroda played long toss and could be back on the mound in three to four days. Asked if Kuroda could be activated this month, Torre replied, “I think that would be optimistic.” The right-handed starter suffered a strained side muscle after winning on opening day.

Pitcher Jason Schmidt is tentatively scheduled to start a minor league rehabilitation assignment Tuesday with Class-A San Bernardino.

Times staff writer Dylan Hernandez contributed to this report.

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james.peltz@latimes.com