SAN FRANCISCO - One-run games are becoming the norm when the Giants meet the Dodgers.

Cody Ransom, a newcomer to the rivalry - he was called up earlier this month after dominating Triple-A pitchers with timely hits - came through with the biggest hit of his career Monday night. He singled up the middle with two outs in the ninth, lifting San Francisco to a 3-2 win over Los Angeles.

"It was a lot of fun," Ransom said. "It's great to get a hit and help the team out. I was just going up to the plate trying to get a pitch to hit."

After Dustan Mohr's two-out single, pinch-hitter Damon Minor fell behind 0-2 to Guillermo Mota (3-2) before walking. Ray Durham also walked and Ransom got his fifth RBI of the season.

The Giants, who have won 12 of their last 13 at home, gained ground in the NL West race. San Francisco moved within a half-game of first-place Los Angeles by winning the opener of this four-game series that both clubs consider extremely important.

"It's June, but it is good," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "A half-game is better than 2½ any time of the year."

At San Diego, Trevor Hoffman earned his 368th save to take sole possession of fourth place on the career list for the Padres, who won for just the fourth time in 13 games.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics weren't able to compete with the Anaheim Angels in the free agent market last winter. They haven't done much better against them on the field, either.The Angels have won five of seven meetings against their AL West rivals, including a 10-3 romp Monday night that kicked off a four-game series.Vladimir Guerrero, who signed a five-year, $70 million contract in January, went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBI to raise his total to 62 and to tie Boston's David Ortiz for the league lead.The Angels - beginning a 10-game stretch in which they will play Oakland seven times - had won just four of their previous 15 games after holding a three-game lead over Oakland on June 3. The A's sixth loss in their last seven games overall dropped them into a first-place tie in the AL West with the idle Texas Rangers, a full game ahead of Anaheim.The Angels, who swept the A's in a three-game series in Oakland the last time they met in late April, took a 4-2 lead in the fifth against Rich Harden after falling behind on Marco Scutaro's two-run single in the top of the inning.

At Chicago, C.C. Sabathia allowed one run in eight impressive innings, and Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake homered in the first inning for Cleveland.Victor Martinez had a career-high four hits for the Indians, who moved within two games of the White Sox for second place in the AL Central.Sabathia (5-3) scattered four hits, struck out four and walked one. He also lowered his ERA from 2.95 to 2.80 - second in the AL to Oakland's Tim Hudson (2.78).Matt Miller pitched a perfect ninth to complete the four-hitter.Scott Schoeneweis (5-6) took the loss.