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Locked in a tight race for the NL West lead, the San Francisco Giants need Barry Zito to regain his first-half form. The veteran looks to avoid a career-high ninth straight loss and career high-tying seventh consecutive lost start when the Giants open a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
Tim Lincecum looked every bit a two-time Cy Young Award winner and had a two-run single as the San Francisco Giants roughed up San Diego ace Mat Latos to win 6-1 Sunday and cut the struggling Padres' lead to less than one percentage point.
The San Diego Padres held onto first place in the NL West, beating the second-place San Francisco Giants 1-0 Saturday behind the pitching of Tim Stauffer, a solo home run by Yorvit Torrealba and an exciting game-ending double play.
San Francisco pulled into a virtual tie with San Diego atop the NL West with a 1-0 victory on Friday night when a decision by Padres shortstop Miguel Tejada led to the Giants scoring a run in the seventh inning without the benefit of a hit.
Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey each hit a two-run homer and Pat Burrell and Juan Uribe also went yard as the San Francisco Giants beat San Diego 7-3 Thursday night to pull within one game of the NL West-leading Padres.
