Giants down the Dodgers 3-0 as They Pick Up Steam

It was a special day for the Giants at AT&T Park. After 9 innings not only had they swept the Dodgers to take over 1st place in their division, but it also marked the first time in 123 seasons that they had shut out the Dodgers in a three-game series. On top of all that Lincecum showed some of the stuff that made him a Cy Young winner in a solid outing.

But the game was a gritty battle that featured some amazing plays. To go with Tim's 8 K's he also made a nifty play at home plate after a wild pitch. Then Hector Sanchez, who was behind the dish, made a spectacular diving catch of a failed bunt attempt that earned him the number 3 spot on Sportcenters Top 10 Plays of the Day. Lincecum even helped his own cause with a hit and then later scored off a double by Melky Cabrera.

With the win the Giants are a whopping 16-9 in the month of June which is tops in the majors. Their current .566 record ties them with the Dodgers for the 2nd best record in the National League behind the Washington Nationals at .569.

Next up is a 4-game series with Dusty Baker and the NL Central leading Reds with the game today starting at 7:15pm with Madison Bumgarner (9-4) looking for his 10th win against Johnny Cuento (9-3). Friday's game is also at 7:15pm with Saturday and Sunday featuring 1:05pm start times. Tickets are still available for all the games at StubHub.com.

Also don't forget you can still vote for your favorite Giants to be All-Stars until 11:59pm tonight. Visit MLB.com and follow the links for All-Star Game 2012 Voting.