Dodgers’ offense still missing as they fall 5 1/2 back of Giants

They traveled up state full of ambition, but the results looked too familiar.

The rebuilt Dodgers continued to struggle offensively Friday, continued to flail away, to sink deeper in the National League West.

Even against a wild Tim Lincecum whose fastball topped out at 91 mph and walked a career-high seven, the Dodgers could not generate anything resembling a sustained attack, falling 5-2 to the Giants at AT&T; Park.

The loss dropped the Dodgers -- who once led the division by 7 1/2 games -- to a season-high 5 1/2 back of the Giants in the West, and six back in the loss column with 23 games left to play.

The Giants have seized control of the division essentially by handling the Dodgers. The victory was their fourth consecutive against the Dodgers, who are starting to look like a desperate team.

The Dodgers managed just six hits, left 11 men on base and continued to look lost at sea offensively.

The Giants broke open a 2-2 game with a pair of runs in the seventh to win it. A single by Hector Sanchez, stolen base by pinch-runner Gregor Blanco, a walk to Brandon Crawford, a sacrifice bunt by Emmanuel Burriss and an intentional walk to Angel Pagan loaded the bases for Marco Scuturo.

Scutaro, a fairly unheralded non-waiver trade-deadline acquisition, continued to deliver for the Giants, looping a two-run single to right.

That ended the night for starter Josh Beckett, who had pitched well until that point. Beckett fell to 1-2 as a Dodger, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks in his 6 1/3 innings.

Lincecum (9-14) also went 6 1/3 innings for the Giants, and despite the seven walks, held the Dodgers to two runs on four hits.

It wasn’t the greatest night for either team’s fielding prowess, but the Dodgers cashed in first.

Mark Ellis led off the third with a single to center, before Lincecum unleashed his walk an inning to Shane Victorino. Adrian Gonzalez then hit what appeared a sure double-play ball to Scuturo at second, who booted it and had to settle for throwing out Gonzalez.

That enabled Ellis to score from third when Matt Kemp bounced out to Pablo Sandoval at third.

The Giants, however, came right back to tie it in the bottom of the inning after Crawford singled with one out and Lincecum sacrificed him to second. Pagan laced a single to right to score Crawford.

It remained a 1-1 game until both teams scored again in the sixth.

Adam Kennedy, starting in place of Luis Cruz because of past success against Lincecum (.381), did his part with a solo home run to right.

But the Giants again came back in the bottom of the inning to tie it when Pagan beat out a bunt single, stole second, took third on a groundout and scored when Kennedy could not bare hand a dribbler from Hunter Pence.

The play was kindly ruled a hit. Kennedy appeared to strain a groin on the play, and left the game after the inning.

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