By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, March 27, 2014

In a pitching matchup involving reclamation projects, Oakland came out on top over San Francisco 4-0 Thursday in exhibition baseball at AT&T Park.

Scott Kazmir scattered two hits over five-plus innings for the A’s, while the Giants’ Tim Hudson had a tough go as he continues his comeback from a severely broken ankle suffered last season while pitching for Atlanta.

Josh Reddick belted a two-run homer, and Josh Donaldson doubled, tripled and drove in the other two Oakland runs.

This is the third time in Hudson’s last four spring starts that the veteran had a tough outing. He allowed all four A’s runs over six innings.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: On March 24, The Sacramento Bee’s Victor Contreras reported if the 10-year lease extension that the A’s desire is granted, “it (the City of Oakland and Alameda County) will be turning its back on the NFL Raiders.

Bob Rose, Athletics director of public relations, issued this response: “For the record, the A’s request is not dependent on dislocation of the Raiders.”

FAREWELL TO PHOENIX MUNI: On Wednesday, the Athletics completed their final Cactus League season of spring training at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Next year, the A’s move into renovated HoHoKam Stadium in Mesa, the previous longtime spring home of the Chicago Cubs.

Arizona State’s baseball program will move to Phoenix Muni next year, and Packard Stadium, the on-campus home to Sun Devils baseball since 1974, will be “redeveloped“ to help finance the renovation of Sun Devil Stadium. ASU signed a 25-year lease to play its home games at Phoenix Muni, located 2 ½ miles from the school’s Tempe campus.

Built in 1964, Phoenix Muni was home to the PCL’s Phoenix Giants/Firebirds, and has served as the Athletics’ spring base since 1982.

A plaque near the press box entrance denotes the relocation and installation of the light standards from the Polo Grounds in New York. The Giants moved the lighting system here in 1964 shortly after the legendary stadium was razed.

HoHoKam Stadium was built in 1997 on the site of HoHoKam Park, where the Cubs played its Cactus League games from 1979 through 2013. The A’s previously trained in Mesa from 1969 through 1978 at old Rendezvous Park.