SAN FRANCISCO -- Travis Denker's parents were on their way to Las Vegas in mid-May to watch their son play in the Minors.

The Fresno Grizzlies, then Denker's team, were going to play the Las Vegas 51s, the respective Triple-A affiliates of the Giants and Dodgers.

But Denker was called up May 12, so his mom and dad nixed the trip.

This time, for the three-day, Fourth of July weekend series between the Dodgers and Giants, there were no cancellations.

Saturday's contest marked the middle of the rivalry's most recent chapter, and Denker's mom, dad, sister, brother and future brother-in-law were in the stands.

"They're here for the whole series," Denker said. "This rivalry means a little more than the one with [the Triple-A teams].

"There are a few more fans. The people seem to care a little bit more," Denker joked.

In fact, when Denker was a kid, he cared a little bit, too. The infielder grew up in Fountain Valley, Calif., an hour's drive from Dodger Stadium. He remembers going to Dodgers games and enjoying the Los Angeles-San Francisco rivalry.

He insisted, though, that he was more of an Angels fan.

"I've always liked the big-time games," Denker said. "I loved the Angels-Dodgers series, the Yankees-Red Sox."

Now that he's doing more than watching the series, things have become more intense. In his two months in the Majors, Denker said he's never heard a crowd so loud as it was during the first night of the series.

Compared to the Oakland-San Francisco cross-bay rivalry, Denker said, Dodgers-Giants is in a whole other ballpark -- figuratively and literally.

"This is just, you know, one of the most historical series in baseball," Denker said.

And, in just six years of professional baseball, Denker has been on both sides of it. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 21st round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft.

He spent four years in the Los Angeles organization before being traded as a player to be determined in exchange for Mark Sweeney in August 2007. The deal was the first between the rivals since 1985, when San Francisco's Alex Trevino was swapped for Candy Maldonado.

"It's definitely weird to be in this series, on this side," Denker said. "But it's one of those things where you really have no control over it. I love it here now. The fans make the whole thing incredible."