Jonathan Sanchez routinely flirts with disaster but just as
routinely finds a way to worm his way out of it. But Sanchez got
knocked off his tightrope Saturday night. He not only had his
shortest outing of the year but also absorbed a decisive blow
— a four-run Athletics fifth — as the Giants dropped their
second straight at O.co Coliseum, 4-2.
OAKLAND
Jonathan Sanchez routinely flirts with disaster but just as routinely finds a way to worm his way out of it.
But Sanchez got knocked off his tightrope Saturday night. He not only had his shortest outing of the year but also absorbed a decisive blow — a four-run Athletics fifth — as the Giants dropped their second straight at O.co Coliseum, 4-2.
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Sanchez (4-5) was doing his usual escapist act through the first four innings of a scoreless game. He put two men on in the second inning and got out of it. Then he worked out of a two-on, one-out situation in the fourth.
But just as soon as the Giants provided the left-hander with a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth, the wheels came flying off in the bottom half. Sanchez surrendered four hits and a walk and was gone after 4 2/3 innings following a two-out, two-run single by Hideki Matsui.
Sanchez’s sudden flameout ended a streak of seven straight starts in which he had allowed three or fewer earned runs. What’s more, in all 14 of his previous starts, he had managed to pitch at least five full innings.
His demise was swift and decisive. He surrendered a leadoff single to Scott Sizemore, and after a fly out, gave up a double to right-center to light-hitting Daric Barton. Sanchez retired Jemile Weeks on a fly out to left for the second out but couldn’t finish the job.
Sanchez yielded a double down the line to Cliff Pennington that tied the score 2-2, and Pennington moved to third on a wild pitch. Coco Crisp then walked and stole second. Sanchez worked the count to 2-2 against Matsui, but the A’s designated hitter lined a ball into right to score both Pennington and Crisp.
Sanchez walked off the mound having allowed six hits and three walks while striking out three.
It wound up being the only inning Oakland scored, but it proved to be more than enough. To make matters all the more disconcerting for manager Bruce Bochy, the Giants’ offense was once again ineffectual. San Francisco botched two excellent opportunities to break the game open against Oakland starter Guillermo Moscoso, and when it finally did put two runs on the board in the fifth, they were effectively gifts.
Chris Stewart opened the Giants’ only scoring inning with a routine one-hopper to third baseman Sizemore, who tripped over his own feet before making the throw. Stewart was awarded a hit on the play, and following a walk by Andres Torres, Emmanuel Burriss dropped a bunt that Moscoso threw away at third base, allowing a run to score.
But even with a run in, two runners on and nobody out, the Giants could only get one more. Pablo Sandoval struck out and Aubrey Huff hit a sacrifice fly that forced Moscoso out of the game, then reliever Brad Ziegler came on and struck out Ross to limit the damage.
The shortcomings weren’t limited to the fifth, however. The Giants loaded the bases in the second, but Moscoso retired Stewart on the fly ball to center. In the fourth, Cody Ross drew a one-out walk and Nate Schierholtz followed with a single, but Aaron Rowand flied out to right and Brandon Crawford grounded out to first to end that threat.
San Francisco had another golden chance go awry in the sixth against A’s reliever Joey Devine. Schierholtz led off with a double, but on a Rowand grounder to short, Schierholtz got caught off second base and was tagged out when Pennington threw to third. Crawford singled Rowand to third, but then pinch hitter Pat Burrell and Torres struck out against Devine.
In the seventh against veteran Brian Fuentes, Burriss worked a leadoff walk, but Sandoval, Huff and Ross then struck out in succession against the A’s left-hander.
Finally in the ninth, Burriss singled with one out against A’s closer Andrew Bailey to give the middle of the order one last chance, but Sandoval hit into a game-ending double play.
— Story by Carl Steward, The Oakland Tribune
