(My Sportsbook) - The Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping the return of Brad Penny to the starting rotation can give them a leg up on the competition in the National League West. The two-time All-Star will make his first start in nearly two months when the Dodgers begin a three-game series with the rival San Francisco Giants tonight at AT&T Park.

Penny, a 16-game winner for Los Angeles in each of the past two seasons, slumped to a 5-9 record and a 5.88 earned run average in 15 starts this year before being shelved in mid-June due to tendinitis in his right shoulder. The hard-throwing 30-year-old has lost seven straight decisions since his last victory, a May 2 triumph at Colorado.

The right-hander did make a rehab start for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday and allowed two runs on six hits over four innings of work.

Penny will be facing a San Francisco squad he dominated on Opening Day of this season, when he yielded four hits and walked two over 6 2/3 scoreless frames to lead Los Angeles to a 5-0 win.

For his career, Penny is 4-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 18 career games (17 starts) against the Giants.

The Dodgers enter this set trailing NL West leader Arizona by 1 1/2 games following Thursday's key victory at St. Louis. Clayton Kershaw twirled seven outstanding innings and Manny Ramirez continued his power surge as Los Angeles handed the Cardinals a 4-1 loss.

Kershaw (2-3) held St. Louis to one run and three hits while striking out seven en route to earning his second career win in the majors. The rookie had help from a two-run homer by Ramirez, the slugger's fourth long ball in six games since joining the Dodgers in a blockbuster three-team trade on July 31.

Juan Pierre and James Loney also knocked in runs to help Los Angeles avoid a three-game sweep of its series with the Cardinals.

San Francisco began its current six-game homestand by winning twice in three tries against Atlanta earlier in the week. Tim Lincecum came through once again in Wednesday's rubber match, as the Giants ace threw eight excellent innings in his club's 3-2 decision over the Braves.

Lincecum (12-3) gave up two runs on five hits while striking out eight in his 117-pitch outing. Brian Wilson protected the lead with a 1-2-3 ninth that resulted in his 32nd save of the season.

Aaron Rowand drove in all three San Francisco runs with a homer and a sacrifice fly, while Randy Winn went 4-for-4 with two runs scored for the Giants.

Fresh off maybe his best performance as a Giant, Barry Zito aims for a repeat of his last effort in tonight's opener.

The well-paid left-hander threw eight shutout innings in San Francisco's 2-0 win at San Diego last Saturday, with Zito allowing only three hits and striking out five.

Zito has now posted a 3-1 record and a 3.77 ERA over his last five starts. The former American League Cy Young winner had been 3-12 with a 5.91 ERA in 17 starts prior to his recent surge.

The 30-year-old also threw seven strong frames to beat the Dodgers at home on July 5, a game in which Zito racked up a season-best 10 strikeouts and gave up just two runs.

In eight lifetime starts against Los Angeles, Zito is 4-3 with a 4.27 ERA.

The Dodgers are 6-3 versus San Francisco so far in 2008 and won two of three tilts with the Giants at AT&T Park from July 4-6.