By Jeremy Kahn

In a pitching matchup reminiscent of the rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers of the 1960s, there was a great pitching in the pivotal second game of this three-game series.

Zack Greinke allowed just one run on five hits in 7.1 innings of work, as the Dodgers defeated the Giants 2-1 at Dodger Stadium. Greinke struck out five and walked one, as he improved to 7-0 versus the Giants in seven career starts since joining the team in 2012.

Greinke out dueled Madison Bumgarner, who allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out eight. Greinke raised his record to 15-3 on the season, while Bumgarner falls to 16-7. Kenley Jansen picked up his 28th save in 30 opportunities.

This was the seventh win in their last eight game for the Dodgers, while the Giants have lost four in a row and are now 5.5 games behind the Dodgers in the race for the National League Western Division Championship. The 5.5 game deficit is the largest since July 10.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy and Monday’s starter Jake Peavy were both ejected from the game in the seventh inning by home plate umpire Mike Winters. It was a tough inning for the Giants, as they failed to get on the board despite the fact that runners were second and third.

The Giants finally got to Greinke in the top of the eighth inning, as Matt Duffy hit a run-scoring single that scored pinch hitter Gregor Blanco from second base. That would be the end of the line for Greinke, as Luis Avilan came on to face Brandon Belt and he ended the inning on a dazzling double play turned Jose Peraza, who flipped to Jimmy Rollins at second and then onto Adrian Gonzalez at first to end the inning.

Gonzalez gave the Dodgers a 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning, as he singled with two outs in the inning. Former Palo Alto High School star Joc Pederson hit a home run into the right-centerfield bleachers leading off the bottom of the seventh inning.

NOTES: Mike Leake takes the mound in the finale for the Giants, as he makes his fourth start since being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds on July 30. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly will send Clayton Kershaw to the hill, as he looks for his 12th win of the season.

Angel Pagan and Tim Hudson were activated from the disabled list for the Giants, while they recalled Hector Sanchez, Nick Noonan and Cody Hall from Triple-A Sacramento.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Giants designated outfielder Justin Maxwell for assignment.