LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Juan Rivera put Los Angeles in front for good with a two-run homer in the first Thursday and the Dodgers dealt San Francisco a blow by downing the Giants 8-2.
The defending World Series champion Giants fell to the brink of elimination in the National League West pennant race and slipped four games behind Atlanta in the wild card chase.
The Giants open a three-game series at Arizona Friday and a win in any of those games by the Diamondbacks would make them champions of the division. Even if San Francisco should sweep against Arizona, the Giants would still trail the Diamondbacks by three games with three to play.
Rivera's homer gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead and he added an RBI single in the third. Los Angeles opened a 6-1 lead in the fifth and finished things off with a two-run homer by Matt Kemp in the eighth. It was Kemp's 36th of the season, moving him within one of the National League lead held by Albert Pujols of St. Louis.
Hiroki Kuroda (13-16) limited San Francisco to two runs on five hits over seven innings to get the win. Kuroda struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Madison Bumgarner (12-13) surrendered four runs on nine hits in four innings to take the loss. He had a personal five-game winning streak halted.
