"Some things changed Tuesday night in the ballpark at China Basin - Pablo Sandoval batted third for the first time in nearly three weeks, Aubrey Huff slid back to the cleanup spot, and Juan Uribe dropped to sixth.

Several other notable things didn't change at all - Sandoval made another blunder on the bases, the Giants grounded into two more double plays, and Matt Cain trudged away winless against the Dodgers.

The boys in blue snatched a 4-2 victory and sent the Giants spinning deeper into their funk. They have lost eight of 11 games to tumble into fourth place in the National League West, suddenly peering skyward at the Rockies and Dodgers in addition to the division-leading Padres.

Equally troubling for the Giants are the ever-deepening, all-too-familiar woes on offense. San Francisco, in dropping four consecutive games, has scored exactly seven runs.

The Giants hit some shots Tuesday night - Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp chased down two balls in the gap and pinch-hitter Buster Posey lined out to end the game - but they managed only one run until Pat Burrell's way-too-late homer in the ninth.

Manager Bruce Bochy shuffled his batting order, to no avail. He plans some more changes today - most notably, returning Posey to the lineup.

"We're trying all we can to get this offense going," Bochy said. "We're having trouble getting that extra hit."

Cain threatened to end his long run of futility against the Dodgers (0-8 in 14 career starts). He nearly slithered out of trouble in the fifth, when Rafael Furcal and Russell Martin opened the inning with singles to put runners on first and third, with no outs, in a 1-1 game.

Then, just as quickly, Cain seemed to regain control. He retired Andre Ethier on a weak pop-up and struck out Kemp on a howling, chest-high, 92-mph fastball."