Dodgers offense goes missing in 2-0 loss to Giants

About that mighty Dodgers offense?

You expected them to be world-beaters forever? Or maybe at least until they finished their three-game series in San Francisco?

The Dodgers bats have suddenly gone church-mouse quiet. The latest evidence was a 2-0 loss to Tim Hudson and the Giants on Tuesday that would have been fairly stunning, if it hadn’t come at AT&T Park.

The Dodgers are now 0-4 in San Francisco, after being kind enough to jump-start the Giants’ season the last time they were here by getting swept in three games. The Giants were 4-10 when the Dodgers arrived at AT&T on April 21 and have gone 17-8 since.

The loss pulled the Giants to within 3 1/2 games of the Dodgers in the National League West.

Hudson, 39, came into Tuesday’s game 1-3 with a 4.57 ERA but looked all-world against a Dodgers team that has been leading the National League in most every offensive statistic. But the Dodgers have suddenly hit a very cold spot. In their last three games, they’ve scored a total of two runs.

Wasted was another fine start from Carlos Frias, who gave up only one run in six innings. He gave up seven hits and two walks, while taking his first loss of the season.

The only run Frias (3-1) allowed came in the third inning when the Giants hit three consecutive two-out singles, Buster Posey’s base hit driving in the run.

San Francisco added an insurance run in the eighth. It was unearned. Enrique Hernandez dropped a ball in left field on a Brandon Belt drive. Belt eventually scored on a Chris Hatcher wild pitch.

Hudson held the Dodgers scoreless in his 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and two walks. The Dodgers had opportunities. They left 11 runners on base, and never could come up with the key hit that seemed so common until last weekend.

Four San Francisco relievers completed the shutout. The Dodgers put a pair of runners on in the ninth inning, but Santiago Casilla pulled it together to earn his 10th save.