Giants fall to A’s in Bay Bridge Series, set sights on Opening Day
SAN FRANCISCO — Next time it’s for real.
The Giants wrapped up spring training Tuesday with a 3-1 loss to the Athletics at Oracle Park, with their crossbay rivals salvaging a split before a crowd of 27,706.
The team took on a different look during spring training, especially with the late additions of third baseman Matt Chapman and left-handed pitcher Blake Snell in free agency. Other newcomers include center fielder Jung Hoo Lee and designated hitter Jorge Soler.
The Giants were blanked by A’s starter Paul Blackburn for 5 2/3 innings with the biggest cheers coming for Pablo Sandoval, who isn’t expected to be on the 26-man roster when they open the season Thursday in San Diego against the Padres.
After striking out in his first at-bat, Sandoval hit a broken bat single to right in the ninth. He was removed for pinch-runner Donovan Walton, who went to third on a single by Wilmer Flores and scored on Joey Bart’s single to left center.
The Giants had a rally in the eighth when Austin Slater singled and went to third on a one-out single by Ismael Munguia, but Otto Lopez grounded into a double play against Tyler Ferguson.
The Giants trailed 3-0 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Nick Allen, whose fly out scored Lawrence Butler, who triple to lead off the inning off Camilo Doval.
A sacrifice fly to shallow right by Esteury Ruiz scored Butler from third to put the A’s up 2-0 in the top of the fourth.
Butler opened the inning with a single, and after a fly out, Allen hit a roller down the line that third baseman Matt Chapman thought would roll foul. It didn’t. A walk to Darell Hernaiz loaded the bases, and Ruiz hit a fly to Yastrzemski in right. Yastrzemski’s throw was on target, but Butler made a nice slide and tagged home with his right hand to score the run.
The A’s scored the first run against Blayne Enlow, the third Giants pitcher, on a run-scoring ground out from designated hitter and former Giants third baseman J.D. Davis.
Carlos Perez opened the inning with a one-out walk and was doubled to third by Ryan Noda, with Davis plating Perez with a ground out to Nick Ahmed at short.
Spencer Howard, a right-hander from their minor league camp who started the game, pitched 1 2/3 innings but departed after he was struck by a line drive off the bat of Allen. Chapman fielded the ball at third and threw Allen out at first.
After a visit from the medical staff, Cody Stashak, another pitcher from the minor league camp, replaced Howard. Howard sustained a right upper arm contusion.