Giants shut out Dodgers again, 2-0, to cut lead to one game

If the Dodgers keep rolling over like this, they’re going to take all the fun out of it for the Giants.

As it is, the Dodgers went weakly once again, this time falling to San Francisco, 2-0, Tuesday before another sellout crowd at AT&T Park. The Dodgers’ lead over the Giants in the National League West now stands at a single game.

That’s back-to-back shutouts, and not even famed Giants-killer Clayton Kershaw is capable of winning when the Dodgers can’t score a single run. And the Dodgers haven’t scored a run in their last 21 innings.

The reeling Dodgers have now lost seven of their last eight games, their offense less than a bad rumor.

On Tuesday it was Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong’s turn to reap the rewards of facing the struggling Dodgers.

Vogelsong (7-3) held the Dodgers scoreless for his seven innings, limiting them to seven hits and one walk. The Dodgers never really threatened him.

Kershaw (5-4) again pitched well, just not well enough. And normally, he pitches much better than just well against the Giants.

Kershaw had won his last four decisions at AT&T Park and hadn’t allowed an earned run in his last 32 2/3 innings against the Giants.

But that ended when he was hit hard in the fourth. Melky Cabrera opened the scoring with a solo home run, his seventh of the season.

After consecutive line-drive base hits, Pablo Sandoval singled in the second run. Sandoval stopped at third after Brandon Belt doubled, and Kershaw then intentionally walked Joaquin Arias to load the bases with one out.

Kershaw struck out Vogelsong for the second out and caught Gregor Blanco looking at a third-strike curveball that he actually bailed out on, for the third out. Kershaw threw 29 pitches in the fourth.

He left for a pinch hitter after throwing six innings, allowing the two runs on eight hits. He also struck out eight.

The Dodgers have been shut out five times this season.

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