Programming note: Dodgers-Giants coverage starts tonight at 7 p.m. on NBC Bay Area.
SAN FRANCISCO -- A stint as a long reliever hasn't been kind to Ryan Vogelsong, so the Giants are hoping a return to the rotation gets the right-hander going.
Vogelsong will start the series finale with the Dodgers on Thursday, manager Bruce Bochy said. Bochy could have gone with either Vogelsong or Yusmeiro Petit, but he likes Petit in the swingman role and would like to get Vogelsong on track. Vogelsong has given up 12 runs in 10 1/3 innings this season, including seven in his lone start. Opposing hitters are batting .400 against him.
"We thing Vogey is our best option," Bochy said. "He's more comfortable starting. We think this is the best way to get him on track. We'll try him in the rotation. We'll take a look at this."
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If Vogelsong finds his form, he could stick in the rotation for a while. Matt Cain (flexor strain) is still at least a week away from picking up baseball and Jake Peavy (back strain) is also looking at considerable time on the DL. The Giants considered going with a four-man rotation until Saturday, but Bochy opted to do what he has traditionally done and stayed for five starters.
Petit has a 4.91 ERA in five relief appearances this season and has been the fill-in in the past, but Bochy likes him as a long reliever and said he wants to start using him in the sixth and seventh innings, too.
"We'll keep Yusmeiro where we think he can really help us," Bochy said.
The Dodgers had also listed "TBA" as their Thursday starter all week, but they'll now go with Triple-A right-hander Mike Bolsinger.
