Veterans Johnny Cueto and Brandon Crawford came through with turn-back-the-clock efforts on the big stage Thursday afternoon, lifting the host San Francisco Giants to a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and a 2-1 series win in a matchup of National League West pace-setters.

Cueto outdueled fellow 35-year-old David Price with 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball and the 34-year-old Crawford lashed a two-run double in his first plate appearance off the injured list, helping the Giants push three games ahead of the defending World Series champion Dodgers atop the division.

The clubs, who have split the season series 8-8 thus far, will meet one more time in a three-game set in San Francisco in early September.

Cueto (7-5), who had been winless in four July starts, limited the Dodgers to four hits and two walks while striking out five.

In evening his career record against Los Angeles at 9-9, he was pulled with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth, with the Giants leading 4-0.

Left-hander Jarlin Garcia preserved the lead by striking out Cody Bellinger, who had homered one day earlier, representing the potential tying run.

Dominic Leone, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee faced just nine batters, striking out five of them, in retiring the Dodgers in order over the final three innings to complete the Giants' 12th shutout of the season.

Crawford, who had missed nine straight games with a strained left oblique, came up with the bases loaded in the first inning after Price (4-1) had walked three of the first five men he faced.

In the lefty-on-lefty matchup, Crawford took a strike before sending his double to left field, scoring Wilmer Flores and Mike Yastrzemski for the first two runs of the game.

The Giants increased their advantage one run at a time on an RBI double by Flores in the second, an RBI single by Austin Slater in the fourth and an RBI double by LaMonte Wade Jr. in the seventh.

Price was pulled after 4 1/3 innings, charged with four runs (three earned) on four hits. He walked three and struck out two.

Slater and Flores had two hits apiece for the Giants, who took two of three in the showdown series despite getting outscored 9-7.

AJ Pollock had two of the Dodgers' four hits, all of which were singles.

--Field Level Media