DODGERS NOTEBOOK: GIANTS SERIES ALREADY CRUCIAL.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

The baseball season is only nine days old, but San Francisco already has established a 3 1/2-game lead in the National League West going into today.

The Giants (8-1) started the season 7-0.

The Dodgers (5-5) will have a chance to close the gap when they travel to Pacific Bell Park for a four-game series starting today.

``It's very important. It's early, but they have a nice little cushion already,'' outfielder Dave Roberts said. ``If anything, (this series) sets the tone for the rest of the season. We play well up there. We just have to go up there and play the way we're capable.

``You don't want to give them a big cushion. You don't want them to run away with it. I think it's going to be a tight race the whole way.''

The Giants' hitters are hot. On Wednesday, San Francisco beat San Diego 15-11 - a Pac Bell-record 26 combined runs. The Dodgers counter with a solid pitching staff, starting with ace Hideo Nomo today.

San Francisco comes to Los Angeles for a four-game series next week.

``Bottom line, it's too early,'' Brian Jordan said. ``They started hot last year and we started cold. But you take every series as a big series.''

--Funny guy: Pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii was asked several questions about the stiffness in an upper-back muscle after his start Tuesday. ``I'm fine,'' he said repeatedly through an interpreter. Ishii then answered a question himself, saying, `estoy bien'' - ``I'm fine'' in Spanish.

Last year, Ishii's bunting problems were no laughing matter. But he moved a runner with a well-placed bunt in front of the catcher Tuesday.

``I'm very thankful to Maury Wills,'' said Ishii, referring to the work he's done with the former Dodger.

--Watch that step: Roberts was called for interference Tuesday when his back foot stepped out of the batter's box.

``That's the first time I've ever been called for that so now I just have to be conscious of where I'm at in the batter's box,'' Roberts said. ``It's not going to change anything for me. I didn't realize where I was at. I didn't know I was coming out of the batter's box. They made the right call. I just have to be more cognizant of where I'm standing in the batter's box.''

--Injury update: Shortstop Cesar Izturis wasn't in the starting lineup because of a sore shin, the result of a collision at the plate Tuesday with Arizona catcher Chad Moeller. Izturis ran into Moeller's shinguard while scoring the game-winning run on Paul Lo Duca's double in the seventh. ...

Daryle Ward was nursing swelling on his left foot after he fouled a ball off of it Tuesday.

--No Joe: Joe Thurston didn't make the Dodgers' roster, but his likeness remains. The Dodgers used him in a promotion before the season started where children have a chance to ask a Dodger a question. Thurston's answers are still featured between innings on the Diamond Vision scoreboard.

Thurston was supposed to start at second base but is at Triple-A Las Vegas after a poor spring. He's batting .240 (6 for 25) in his first six games with no extra-base hits and no RBI with the 51s.

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DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO

- Jill Painter