SAN FRANCISCO -- If anyone thought the San Francisco Giants shutting out the Los Angeles Dodgers during a three-game series in 2012 was a fluke, guess again.

Madison Bumgarner and four relievers scattered nine hits Thursday as the Giants beat their rivals 4-0 to again sweep a three-game set without allowing as much as one run to the first-place Dodgers.

"It was a great series for us," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's hard to beat what our starters did for us the whole series. Bum had a couple of hard acts to follow."

The Giants won 2-0 Tuesday behind starter Tim Hudson and 2-0 Wednesday behind Tim Lincecum. The bullpen figured in all three decisions as well.

Bumgarner, who homered to open the scoring Thursday, went the first 6 1/3 innings. He allowed seven hits while striking out six and walking two. George Kontos, Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla followed.

"Madison pitched really well," Kershaw said. "Tip your cap again."

For the third time this season, the Giants won in a matchup between Bumgarner and the reigning National League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner, Clayton Kershaw (2-3). The Los Angeles left-hander gave up four runs on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers fell to 0-6 this season at San Francisco, the longest such streak since June 1-Sept. 13, 1972. And the last time they were swept in back-to-back series when the Giants played host was Aug. 18-20 and Sept. 8-10, 1961.

"You don't think you'll come here and not score a run for three games," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "I actually thought we had some good at-bats, especially early. We felt like we got a lot of guys out there and we made Madison work, but we weren't able to get the hits to push across any runs."

San Francisco pulled within 1 1/2 games of Los Angeles in the NL West with its season-high sixth consecutive win and ninth victory in 12 games.

"We're playing good right now, everything is going our way," Bumgarner said. "We just want to keep it going as long as we can. It's a long season. We have a lot of work to do."

Bumgarner (5-2) hit the first pitch he saw from Kershaw with two outs in the third inning 10 rows deep into the left field bleachers -- estimated at 415 feet -- for his first home run of the season and seventh of his career. Bumgarner's last homer came off of Zack Greinke at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 23.

"He's the best pitcher in baseball," Bumgarner said of Kershaw. "To be able to run into one is pretty special."

Kershaw retired seven straight after allowing a single to left fielder Nori Aoki in the first.

Center fielder Angel Pagan started the fourth with a double down the left field line. Hunter Pence followed with a one-out, hard single to right that represented the right fielder's first hit at home since Game 5 of the 2014 World Series.

Pagan dived head-first across the plate, narrowly avoiding a sweep tag by Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis following a strong throw to the plate by right fielder Scott Van Slyke. The safe call was upheld after a video review.

Bumgarner stranded baserunners in all of his six complete innings.

Bumgarner induced third-hitting Dodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick to bounce out to short with the infield drawn in and a runner at third for the second out of the third. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez flied out to the warning track in left to end that threat.

Los Angeles left two runners aboard in the fifth. Kendrick and Gonzalez reached with two-out singles, but Bumgarner struck out third baseman Justin Turner on a full-count pitch.

Dodgers left fielder Alex Guerrero singled with one out an inning later, but he was thrown out at third trying to advance two bases on Ellis' single to left one batter later. Kershaw struck out to end the inning.

Bumgarner was relieved after having thrown his 107th pitch to retire Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson on a foul pop for the first out of the seventh inning.

The Giants scored twice in the eighth inning. Run-scoring singles by Pence and shortstop Brandon Crawford chased home Pagan and catcher Buster Posey, who singled to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.

"The Giants beat us, plain and simple," Ellis said. "They played better. We have to regroup. This is not the way Dodgers play."

NOTES: Dodgers LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (left shoulder inflammation) underwent successful labrum surgery Thursday. He won't pitch this season but is expected to be available for spring training. ... Giants SS Joaquin Arias started and batted sixth in place of Brandon Crawford, who is a recent 1-for-18 against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw. Arias brought a lifetime .324 average against Kershaw (12-for-37) into the game, but he went 0-for-3. ... Dodgers SS Jimmy Rollins sat in the series finale, with Enrique Hernandez starting at shortstop for the fourth time this season and batting second. A.J. Ellis started at catcher, his 11th start of the season in 40 games, and his sixth time catching in LHP Clayton Kershaw's nine starts. ... Giants RHP Jake Peavy (back) is scheduled to throw as many as 50 pitches with Class A San Jose on Friday. ... The Dodgers play their next six at home starting Friday with the first of three against the San Diego Padres. ... San Francisco heads to Colorado to open a four-game trip Friday.