Pitching matchups:

Tuesday: Jesse Foppert (4-5, 4.18) vs. Kevin Brown (9-1, 2.00)
Wednesday: Kirk Rueter (7-1, 3.60) vs. Kazuhisa Ishii (6-2, 2.97)
Thursday: Jason Schmidt (5-3, 2.67) vs. Odalis Perez (4-4, 4.70)

Four options after Thursday:

1) Dodgers are five games out.
2) Dodgers are three games out.
3) Dodgers are one game out.
4) Dodgers are one game up.

So, who are these beasts to the north? Here are some trivial answers.

Barry Bonds
--has five home runs in his past seven games

Marquis Grissom
--is batting .314 and OPSing .828 as a full-timer, with OPS splits against lefties and righties of 1.030/.766

Rich Aurillia
--first-pitch strikes don't bother him. He OPSes .851 after an 0-1 count, .664 after it's 1-0

Jose Cruz
--hit seven of his 11 home runs in April

Edgardo Alfonzo
--is having an Adrian Beltre-like June at third base: .479 OPS

Benito Santiago
--another slumping Giant in June: .349 OPS

J.T. Snow
--hurting righties with a .901 OPS, only 4 for 36 with six walks against lefties

Ray Durham
--has a .507 OBP leading off an inning

Neifi Perez
--no walks, no power, but batting .330 on the road (.217 at home)

Andres Galarraga
--the guy turns 42 tomorrow with a robust .962 OPS

Pedro Feliz
--utility backup ... nine of his 17 hits this season are for extra bases

Yorvit Torrealba
--backup catcher has 21 percent of his hits this season against L.A.

Marvin Benard
--former starting outfielder has become a spare part

Jesse Foppert
--struck out 10 Chicago White Sox in his last start

Kirk Reuter
--24 walks and 25 strikeouts in 85 innings, but 5-0 since April

Jason Schmidt
--25 walks and 100 strikeouts in 91 innings, but 2-3 since April

Tim Worrell
--the substitute closer, has allowed 45 baserunners in 37 innings

Joe Nathan
--0.00 ERA in April, 8.31 in May

Scott Eyre
--a lefty's lefty - .472 OPS allowed against left-handed batters, .880 the other way

Felix Rodriguez
--career 402 strikeouts in 430 1/3 innings

Jim Brower
--middle reliever was hammered in April, better since

Chad Zerbe
--batters swinging at the first pitch are 8 for 13 against him