Dodgers try again to solve Giants' Blach

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ty Blach has started only four games in his major league career, but the San Francisco Giants left-hander already has demonstrated one thing.

He knows how to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Blach will look to continue his impressive early form against San Francisco's National League West rival on Tuesday night when he aims to pitch the Giants to a fifth consecutive win.

"It certainly helps your personality," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of his streaking club, which just recently climbed out of last place in the division. "We're not going to get giddy here. We've dug ourselves a hole, and they realize it. The worm's going to turn, and it has."

Blach hasn't contributed to the winning streak. In fact, he started the last game the Giants didn't win, although he pitched well Thursday in a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds that opened the club's current homestand.

He hasn't won this season, either, though he pitched well enough to win in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers in April.

That was the second start of his career against the Dodgers, and second straight against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw. Blach outpitched the perennial Cy Young Award candidate last October in a 3-0 win.

Overall, he has pitched three times against Los Angeles (once in relief) and has allowed only two runs in 16 innings (1.13 ERA).

Kershaw isn't scheduled to pitch until the series finale on Wednesday, so Blach (0-2, 4.88 ERA) will duel fellow lefty Rich Hill on Tuesday.

Hill (1-1, 3.38 ERA) will be reinstated from the disabled list to make his first start since April 16.

The veteran has pitched just twice this season, both of which ended painfully with a blister on his left middle finger. He was placed on the DL after the recurrence following the April 16 start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After the Dodgers gave Hill 10 days off following his first start and tried a variety of medical remedies, the team and the pitcher agreed to let nature take its course over the past month.

"The only thing that's going to heal it is time," Hill concluded during his stint on the DL.

Hill has made eight career starts against the Giants, going 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA.

He will be facing a San Francisco club that exploded for eight runs in each of the past two games. The Giants totaled eight runs in their previous three games and nine in a five-game losing streak earlier this month.

San Francisco's resurgence has coincided with the return of shortstop Brandon Crawford, who missed 14 games with a hamstring issue.

The Gold Glove winner's biggest impact has come on defense. The Giants have made just one error -- a throwing error on a stolen-base attempt -- in the five games since his return to the lineup.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, continue to be without their regular right side of the infield, with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (sore right elbow) and second baseman Logan Forsythe (fractured big right toe) set to start rehab stints at Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts expects Gonzalez to be back in his lineup by the end of the week.

The Dodgers return home after the San Francisco series to begin a 10-game homestand against Miami.