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          Dodgers Report

          Rapid Reaction: Giants 3, Dodgers 2

          • Mark Saxon, ESPN Staff WriterApr 23, 2015, 01:35 AM ET
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              Mark Saxon covers the St. Louis Cardinals for ESPN.com. He served as the Dodgers team reporter for ESPNLosAngeles.com. through the 2015 season. He spent six years at the Orange County Register, and began his career at the Oakland Tribune, where he started an 11-year journey covering Major League Baseball. He has also covered colleges, including USC football and UCLA basketball.
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          SAN FRANCISCO -- A visit from their archrivals seems to have awakened the world champions.

          Reeling early this season, the San Francisco Giants have woken up in the first two games of their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They won Wednesday's game 3-2 on a Joe Panik sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. The game ended in a bit of controversy, with Dodgers manager Don Mattingly going on the field to argue that runner Gregor Blanco should have been called out when Giants third-base coach Roberto Kelly made contact with him while trying to hold him up on a Brandon Belt single to left field.

          How it happened: Neither Clayton Kershaw nor Madison Bumgarner has gotten off to a great start so far this season, but the two NL West aces brought out the best in each other Wednesday. In fact, their efforts canceled each other's out. Kershaw was mildly susceptible early and Bumgarner was mildly susceptible late. After the Giants took a 2-0 lead on their usual scrappy hitting (and some shaky Dodgers defense) in the third inning, the Dodgers looked mostly overmatched against Bumgarner for a while. But after his pitch count crept over 100 in the seventh inning, Bumgarner gave up a one-out single to A.J. Ellis and pinch hitter Alex Guerrero hit a two-run home run.

          What it means: The Giants' pitching has cooled off the Dodgers' lineup. After scoring at least five runs a game during their seven-game winning streak, they have been held to four runs in these two losses.

          Notable: Against Bumgarner, who dominates left-handed batters, Mattingly went as right-handed as he could, starting Chris Heisey over Joc Pederson in center field and Justin Turner over Adrian Gonzalez at first base. Neither of the replacements is as polished defensively as the man they replaced. Heisey, playing deep, couldn't come up with a sinking fly ball hit by Matt Duffy for an RBI single, and Turner missed Nori Aoki after Kershaw picked him off. ... The Dodgers will need a roster spot when they recall Mike Bolsinger to start Thursday's game, and Heisey might be headed back to Triple-A Oklahoma City after one day in the major leagues. ... Shortstop Jimmy Rollins is in an early-season slump. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and is 2 for his past 22 (.091). ... Ellis got hit on the back of the right hand after a pitch deflected off Justin Maxwell in the ninth inning. Ellis tried testing it by throwing a couple of balls to Gonzalez, and they both sailed into right field. The Dodgers then replaced Ellis with Yasmani Grandal.

          Up next: Both teams waited until Wednesday to announce starting pitchers for Thursday afternoon's game. The Dodgers are going with Bolsinger, who will be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game, while San Francisco is starting Ryan Vogelsong (0-1, 10.45 ERA).