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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger hits an RBI single as home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez watches in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Saturday, July 29, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

By Jeremy Kahn

LOS ANGELES-Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants played a close and competitive game; however, in the end it was the same result.

Cody Bellinger drove in both Dodgers runs on the afternoon with RBI singles in both the first and the third innings, as the Dodgers hung on to defeat the Giants 2-1 before a crowd of 47,792 at Dodger Stadium.

With the victory, the Dodgers have won seven games in a row, and have won 38 out of their last 44 games since June 7, the best run in Dodgers history and the best in the majors since the 1942 Cardinals also went 38-6.

This was the Dodgers 51st consecutive victory when leading at any point during the game, extending their own major league record.

The Dodgers are 73-31 on the season, and this is the first time that they have been 42 games over .500 since 1974, when they finished the season with a record of 102-60 and won the National League pennant before losing to the Oakland A’s in five games in the World Series.

On both of Bellinger’s singles, Corey Seager scored each run, as Seager doubled in his first two at-bats against Ty Blach.

Seager continues to rake Giants pitching, as he followed up his 2-for-4 (two home run game from Friday night) with a 3-for-4 afternoon with two doubles off of Giants pitching.

Thru the first two games of the series, Seager is a whopping 5-for-8 (.625 average) with two doubles and two home runs

This was the seventh three-plus game of the season for Seager. During the month of July, Seager is hitting .314 (27-for-86) with seven doubles, six home runs and 14 RBI.

Hunter Pence broke up the shutout, no hitter and perfect game with one swing of the bat in the top of the fourth inning, as he took a Rich Hill pitch and planted it into the left field seats to cut the Dodgers lead down to 2-1.

It was the seventh home run of the season, and his seventh home run away from home for Pence.

Hill was pulled by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in the top of the sixth inning after just 86 pitches.

Prior to being pulled, Hill went 5.2 innings, allowing just one on just two hits, walking two and striking out three.

Blach pitched a great game for the Giants despite the outcome, as he went seven innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out three.

The left-hander also helped himself in the field, as he made two great plays on attempted bunts by Hill in the bottom of the second and fourth innings respectively.

“Blach did a great job, gave us a chance,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “I really didn’t think he had his best stuff but this kid’s got all the confidence, he’s not afraid.”

Carlos Moncrief, whose contract was purchased from Sacramento on Wednesday, made his major-league debut when he came off the bench to pinch hit for Blach. Moncrief walked against Luis Avilan.

NOTES: Madison Bumgarner will take the mound in the series finale, as he switched with Matt Cain, who will now pitch on Monday against the A’s at the Coliseum.

Bumgarner is coming off his first win of the season, as he went five innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking one and striking out four on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at AT&T Park.

Hyun-Jin Ryu will take the mound for the Dodgers, who are looking for their 14th sweep of the season, which would be the most by a Dodgers team since 1976, when they picked up 15 sweeps.

With Blach going seven innings today, the Giants starting staff continues to be number one in major leagues with most innings pitched, as they have combined to throw 628.1 innings. The starters have also pitched at least six innings or more in 11 out of their 14 games.

Nick Hundley was originally in the starting lineup, but he was scratched prior to the game after taking a couple of foul balls off the mask on Friday night; therefore Jae-gyun Hwang started at first and Buster Posey was catching.

Hwang was going to play at third with Posey at first, but that all changed with the Hundley scratch from the lineup. Kelby Tomlinson played third base, and went 1-for-2.

Starting pitcher Johnny Cueto will make a rehab start on Monday for the San Jose Giants against Visalia, while closer Mark Melancon will head to Sacramento for a rehab appearance on Sunday. Where the Rivercats will face New Orleans.

AP File Photo: Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully and former San Francisco Giant outfielder Willie Mays two of JJ’s childhood memories come together in this October 2, 2016 photo at AT&T Park during Scully’s last day as a Dodgers announcer

By Jeremy Kahn

LOS ANGELES-Once again, it is time for the Where is Jeremy Kahn World Tour with the San Francisco Giants.

Granted, the Giants are not having the best season; however, I still needed to my annual road trip and it brought me back home to my hometown of Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium.

As I sit here in this magnificent stadium that just recently celebrated its 55th birthday back in April, it dawned on me that it was 40 years ago on June 14, 1977, that my father brought me to my first ever Dodgers game. Yes, we left early; however, from that day on, I was hooked on baseball.

Over the next 25 years, I spent my summers at Dodger Stadium with my family, friends and my youth group from Congregation Beth Kodesh.

There are so many memories that I have of coming to games here during those years that I still remember to this day.

Yes, my first game on June 14, 1977 was memorable; however, my second game was pretty impressive as well.

It was July 23, 1978, and the Dodgers were playing the St. Louis Cardinals, but it was what happened in the parking lot before the game that was pretty special in its own right.

Back then, and still today, the Dodgers hosted an Old-Timers Day and the list of luminaries were endless. I remember seeing Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, but then I saw Willie Mays and even as a six-year old I knew he was a special baseball player.

Came to a game on my seventh birthday, where they put my name on the scoreboard in left field.

Remember coming to three games in a five-day period from July 27-August, 1980 and the Dodgers won all three. They won in extra innings on Sunday, Jerry Reuss threw a one hour 45-minute gem on Wednesday and then Joe Ferguson ended Friday night’s game with a walk-off home run

I came to Opening Days with my dad and friends. Sat in the old dugout section that was near the team’s clubhouses. I saw Fernando Valenzuela in his rookie year against the Cincinnati Reds despite the fact that I was sick the day before, and my mom said I could not go; however, my dad was like you are going.

Never saw a playoff game here, but I did see my high school win their first City Championship here on June 4, 1987, as Canoga Park High School hung on to defeat Poly High School 5-4.

I returned here as a media member in 2012, as the Giants and Dodgers were fighting each other in the NL West; however, the Giants swept the series on their way to their second World Series Championship in three years.

Now I am back for the weekend and walking around here brings back those memories, saw some old friends last night and today.

Still one of the most picturesque stadiums in all of professional sports.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 28: Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) celebrates after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning during a Major League Baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 28, 2017 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

By Jeremy Kahn

LOS ANGELES-Whenever the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers it seems that the games are always close and competitive.

Cory Seager hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Dodgers came back from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Giants 6-4 before a crowd of 51,426 at Dodger Stadium.

This was the sixth consecutive win for the Dodgers, and they are 6-2 on their current 10-game home stand that ends on Sunday night.

With their win tonight, the Dodgers are now a major league best 72-31, winning 24 out of their last 27 at Dodger Stadium since June 7 and are 45-13 at home this season.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Dodgers have won 51 consecutive games when at leading at any point during the game, the longest such streak in major league history.

This was also their 30th come-from-behind win of the season.

It was tough loss for the Giants, who took the lead in the top of the seventh inning, as Nick Hundley lashed a double down the left field line to score Jae-gyun Hwang in the top of the seventh inning.

Just prior to the Hundley double, Hwang tied up the game with a single to centerfield that scored Brandon Crawford from second base.

After the Hundley double, Gorkys Hernandez continues his red-hot play, as he hit a double of his own to score Hundley and lengthen the Giants lead with the ever so important insurance run.

Crawford advanced to second base, as Corey Seager’s throw went awry of Cody Bellinger for a throwing error. On the play, Buster Posey was forced out at second base after he led off the inning with a sharp single to right field.

That would be the score for just a half-inning, as the Dodgers continue their recent trend of scoring late in games, as they scored four times in the bottom of the seventh inning to eventually take the lead and two innings later, the victory.

Austin Barnes led off the inning with a walk, then went to third on a Joc Pederson double. That would be all for Matt Moore, as George Kontos came onto replace Moore.

Yaisel Puig came on to pinch hit and grounded out to Crawford for the second out and Barnes scored easily from third base.

Chris Taylor tied up the game with a double that scored Pederson, and then Taylor scored what proved to be the game-winning run just the Seager’s second home run of the game. It was the sixth multi-home run game of Seager’s career and second this season. Seager hit three home runs on June 20 in a 12-0 Dodgers victory over the New York Mets.

Barnes led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk, went to second on a Matt Moore wild pitch and then onto third when Hundley’s throw sailed into centerfield for an error.

It looked like Barnes was going to score on a Kike Hernandez would be double, but Hwang made a diving play to snare the Hernandez hit down the line and got up in time throw out Hernandez at first base.

It was a tough no-decision for Moore, who allowed just four runs on just three hits, walking four and striking out six. The second of those runs was unearned, as Barnes was able to score after he reached third base on the Hundley throwing error and then scored on the Alex Wood groundout.

On the other hand, Wood just keeps winning, as he went seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, not walking a batter and striking out five on his way to 12th win in 13 decisions on the season.

Brandon Morrow struck out two in his only inning of work, before handing the ball over to closer Kenley Jansen, who pitched the ninth inning and retired the Giants in order for his 26th save of the season in 27 opportunities.

By striking out the side to notch his 26th save of the season, Jansen has now struck out 68 batters and walked only three.

Seager got the scoring started for the Dodgers in the bottom of the first inning, as he hit the first pitch he saw from Moore on the evening halfway up the left field bleachers for 17th home run of the season.

That would be the score for a half-inning, as with one out in the top of the second inning, as Crawford evened up the game with a solo home run deep into right field bleachers.

NOTES: Ty Blach takes the mound for the Giants on Saturday afternoon, as the Giants look to even up this three-game series against the Dodgers. Blach is looking to raise his record back over the .500 mark on the season, as he looks for his seventh win of the season.

Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers, as the former Oakland Athletics pitcher looks for his eighth win of the season against just four losses.

With the Dodgers leading the Giants 32.5 games in the National League West, this is only the second time in the long history of this great rivalry that a team has been of the other team by more than 30 games. The last time this occurred was on September 27, 1985, when the Giants were exactly 30 games behind the Dodgers in the National League West (according to STATS, INC.)

The Dodgers then swept the Giants in that series, as the Dodgers went on to win the National League West before losing in six games to the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Giants ended up the season with a record of 62-100, their last 100-loss season and their only 100-loss season in the teams’ 135-year history.

Hwang was recalled from Sacramento prior to the game, while reliever Chris Stratton was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a calf injury.

With their record of 40-64, this is the worst start thru 104 games by a Giants team, since they moved to San Francisco in 1958. This loss broke the dubious record of 41-63 that they obtained during both the 1984 and 1985 seasons.

AP PHOTO FILE – In this July 21, 2017, file photo, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, in Los Angeles. With Clayton Kershaw sidelined by injury, the Dodgers are in need of a dominant left-hander. Baseball’s best team need look no farther than one locker past Kershaw’s in the clubhouse.(AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo, File)

By Jeremy Harness

 The Los Angeles Dodgers are flying high these days, sporting a quite-lofty 71-31 record at press time. They are currently riding a five-game winning streak, and they have aspirations of a World Series title, something that they have not experienced in 29 years.

 The Giants, on the other hand, have recent experience with that, but it sure doesn’t look like it as you watch them play this season. They have the second-worst record in the National League with a mark of 40-63, and one of the remaining question marks is who will be dealt away before Monday’s trade deadline.

 The other question is what exactly Pablo Sandoval will do for the rest of the season, as this will determine what the Giants will do with their prodigal third baseman.

 Shortly after acquiring Sandoval after he was released by the Boston Red Sox after badly underperforming during his short time there, the Giants traded Eduardo Nunez to those same Red Sox for a pair of pitching prospects, so it will be time for Sandoval to show how much he has to give at this point.

 In the meantime, the Dodgers and the Giants will meet at Dodger Stadium for a three-game series that starts Friday night. Matt Moore, who is having a terrible season thus far with a mark of 3-10 to go along with a 5.82 ERA, will take the ball for the Giants in the series opener.

 He has lost each of his past three decisions, including one in Miami on July 7 that saw him give up five runs on 12 hits and last only 3 1/3 innings in the process.

 He will be opposite Dodgers lefty Alex Wood, who is trending in the exact opposite direction. He has a masterful 11-1 record with an ERA of 2.17. However, if there is a negative here, it’s that Wood suffered that one defeat in his last outing, a 12-3 drubbing at the hands of the Atlanta Braves on July 21, during which he surrendered seven earned runs on nine hits over only 4 2/3 innings.

 While the Dodgers continue their quest for that elusive World Series ring, it remains to be seen what the Giants will look like as a team at the end of the season.