San Francisco, CA -- (Sports Network) - Andre Ethier went 3-for-6 with a homer and three runs batted in, and the Los Angeles Dodgers outslugged the San Francisco Giants, 10-7, in an Independence Day matchup between the NL West rivals.

Nomar Garciaparra returned from the disabled list and went 2-for-4, drove in two and scored for the Dodgers, who have won four straight. Andruw Jones also returned from the DL for LA but wasn't as successful, striking out four times in an 0-for-5 day.

Derek Lowe (6-8) won despite allowing five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits in five innings.

"I wouldn't say it was the prettiest game of the season but it doesn't matter," Lowe said. "Any time you can put yourself in a position to gain ground, it's good. I'd have to say it was good."

Aaron Rowand went 3-for-4 and drove in two for the Giants, who have split their last six games. Osiris Matos (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs and four hits in only two-thirds of an inning. Starter Jonathan Sanchez gave up five hits and three runs in five frames, with seven strikeouts and three walks.

The Dodgers turned a two-run deficit into a three-run lead with their five-run sixth. Delwyn Young's pinch-hit RBI single to right plated one run, and after Matt Kemp fanned for the second out, three straight doubles put LA in front. Ethier's double to right scored two runs, and Russell Martin and Jeff Kent followed with two-baggers to left, each driving in a run.

Jones finally struck out, but not before the Dodgers took an 8-5 lead.

Garciaparra's RBI double to left with two outs in the eighth pushed LA up 9-5, but Bengie Molina got that run back with an RBI single to center in the home half of the frame. The Giants loaded the bases later in the inning with no outs, but Rich Aurilia grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

One run scored on the play to cut the deficit to 9-7, but Omar Vizquel popped out to end the inning.

Andy LaRoche's second homer of the season, a shot to center to lead off the ninth, gave the Dodgers a three-run lead, and Takashi Saito tossed a perfect bottom half for his 15th save.

"Like I said we did a lot of good things early," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "They had the big inning that killed us in the sixth."

The Giants jumped on top with two runs in the first. A throwing error by Lowe allowed Ray Durham to score on an infield single by Randy Winn, and Aaron Rowand singled in Winn with two outs for a 2-0 lead.

Lowe led off the third with a single to left, Sanchez walked Kemp, and Ethier singled to right to load the bases. Sanchez walked Martin to force in one run, but got the next two outs. He then issued another walk, to Garciaparra, knotting the game at 2-2 before James Loney flied out to end the threat.

With Fred Lewis at third and Winn at first with one out in the third, the two runners executed a double steal. On the throw to second Lewis took off for home, and both runners were safe, putting the Giants on top. Rowand's ground-rule double to left plated Winn for a 4-2 San Francisco lead.

Lewis' RBI double to left gave the Giants a three-run lead in the fourth, but Ethier's leadoff homer to center in the fifth pulled the Dodgers back within two runs.

Game Notes:

To clear roster spots for the two veterans the Dodgers placed infielder Mark Sweeney on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, optioned outfielder Jason Repko to Triple-A Las Vegas, and transferred infielder Rafael Furcal from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL on Friday. Sweeney is hitting a paltry .094 with three RBI in 60 games. Repko went 0-for-7 in a brief call-up from the minors. Furcal underwent surgery on his back on Thursday...Jones' 0- for-5 day dropped his batting average to .159.