A’s win 4-2 in a rain-shortened game, sweep the Bay Bridge Series

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The A’s and Giants played the final game of Spring Training at Oracle Park Tuesday night. The weather conditions were much better than Monday night, but they deteriorated in the fifth. The rain came down in buckets in the sixth, and the umpires called the game. The A’s beat the Giants in all five games the teams played this preseason.

The teams are off on Wednesday, and the A’s have their home day opener on Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels and their $430 Million Dollar Man, Mike Trout. The A’s are 0-2 in the regular season as they lost two games to the Mariners in Tokyo on March 20th and 21st. The Giants will open on the road against the San Diego Padres and their $300 Million Dollar Man, Manny Machado.

The game summary follows below.

The A’s scored two runs in the second and two runs in the fourth to send Giants’ starter Jeff Samardzija to an early exit. The A’s center fielder Mark Canha blasted Samardzija’s 89 MPH four-seam fastball into the seats to give the A’s a 4-0 lead. Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy decided he had seen enough and removed Samardzija from the game with two outs in the fourth.

The Giants put two on the board in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Connor Joe started the rally with a single. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Brian Schlitter to relieve Brooks. Schlitter walked Alen Hanson and then hit Mac Williamson with a pitch to load the bases. Melvin removed Schlitter and Jerry Blevins, who tried to get a spot in the A’s bullpen, served a single to Gerardo Parra. Two runs were scored on the play. The Giants had runners on first and third with two out. Blevins struck out Pablo Sandoval for the final out (and of the game) as the rain came down and the umpires decided that conditions were too severe to continue. The A’s won 4-2 and swept the Bay Bridge Series.

Game Notes: A’s starter Aaron Brooks, who is out of options, pitched very well for the A’s. He pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed five hits and one run. The A’s have to make a decision on his status Wednesday as they have to be down to 25 players by Thursday.

Up Next: The A’s meet the Angels Thursday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Mike Fiers will pitch for the A’s. Game time will be at 1:05 pm.

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