LOS ANGELES — Kenta Maeda is looking like another good international investment by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Japanese right-hander finally gave up a run Sunday — but only one. He outpitched San Francisco right-hander Jeff Samardzija as the Dodgers won 3-1, taking two of three from the Giants at Dodger Stadium this weekend.
Maeda gave up a solo home run to Giants second baseman Joe Panik with two outs in the third inning. It was the first run Maeda had allowed in his first three starts for the Dodgers, snapping a 14 2/3 scoreless innings streak to start his major league career.
Maeda had to pick his way through the first four innings Sunday, allowing three hits and walking three in that time. But the Giants stranded four and hit into one double play.
Maeda settled in after that, retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced (four by strikeout) and going seven innings for the first time in his rookie season with the Dodgers.
Through his first three starts, Maeda has allowed just one run on 15 hits and four walks in 19 innings.
For a while, though, it looked like he would lose a pitchers’ duel with Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija.
Samardzija did his best work early, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced and not allowing a runner past first base until the fifth inning. That’s when Yasmani Grandal worked him for a one-out walk and scored two batters later when Joc Pederson turned on a 2-and-2 fastball Samardzija left over the inner half of the strike zone.
The home run put the Dodgers on top. They stole an insurance run in the seventh inning when Yasiel Puig charged home from second base on Grandal’s infield single against the Giants’ defensive shift.
That was enough cushion for a Dodgers’ bullpen that has regained its footing since a miserable series in San Francisco last weekend. Chris Hatcher and Kenley Jansen combined to close it out over the final two innings Sunday. Dodgers relievers have not been charged with a run in their past 14 innings now.
NOTES: The Giants placed RHP Sergio Romo on the disabled list with a strained flexor tendon in his pitching elbow on Friday. Romo, 33, will not do any throwing for at least 10 days. At that point, he will be re-evaluated. … Dodgers OF Carl Crawford (back) will travel to Atlanta with the Dodgers on Monday then go to Oklahoma City from there to start a minor league injury-rehabilitation assignment with the Triple-A OKC Dodgers on Wednesday. He is expected to be back with the Dodgers next Sunday in Colorado when he is eligible to come off the DL. … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers will use the off day Monday to give all of their starting pitchers an extra day’s rest rather than skipping anyone in the rotation. The Dodgers have games on 13 consecutive days before their next off day.