Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - San Francisco's Tim Lincecum settled down after
a strenuous opening frame, but it wasn't enough to snap his 10-start winless
streak.
The Giants offense, however, came alive in the top of the ninth and helped the
visitors put the brakes on a six-game road losing skid at the Coliseum.
Brandon Belt smacked the game-tying two-run double, while Hector Sanchez
singled home the go-ahead run in a four-run ninth as the Giants edged the
Oakland Athletics, 5-4, in the opener of the three-game Bay Bridge Series.
Susceptible to big innings this season, Lincecum needed 43 pitches and allowed
two walks and all three of the hits he was charged with in a three-run first.
It was the ninth time this year that he's given up three-or-more runs in an
inning.
The 28-year-old composed himself, though, and conceded just two free passes
over his final five frames, keeping the Giants in the game until they exploded
in the ninth.
Trailing 3-1 in the final inning, Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval worked back-
to-back walks off of Ryan Cook (2-2) to begin the frame. They both scored when
Belt sliced an opposite-field double past a diving Collin Cowgill in left,
knotting the game at 3-3.
Pinch-hitter Justin Christian followed with a single to put runners on the
corners with none away. Sean Doolittle replaced Cook on the mound and
immediately served up the go-ahead run as Sanchez ripped a single to left,
plating Belt for a 4-3 Giants edge.
After Joaquin Arias' sacrifice bunt put runners on the corners with one out,
Gregor Blanco added some insurance when he whacked a single to left, bringing
home Chrisian and giving the Giants a two-run cushion.
Josh Reddick cracked a one-out solo homer in the home half of the frame to cut
the deficit to 5-4, but Santiago Casilla struck out Yoenis Cespedes and Jonny
Gomes to seal the win and earn his 20th save of the season.
Clay Hensley (3-3) registered the final out of the eighth inning to pick up
the win.
Jarrod Parker fanned four and surrendered a run on four hits and two walks
over six-plus frames for the A's, who had won nine of their last 10 games
coming in.
In Oakland's three-run first, Jemile Weeks slapped an RBI single up the
middle, Seth Smith recorded an RBI groundout and Brandon Inge worked a
bases-loaded walk to give the A's a 3-0 lead.
Blanco's RBI single in the third cut the margin to 3-1.
Game Notes
A's starting pitchers have allowed one run or fewer in each of their last five
contests...Lincecum has walked three-or-more batters in nine of his 15 starts
this year...San Francisco had lost four of its last five coming in.
The Sports Network