Mar 13, 2014; Surprise, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong (32) throws during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Vogelsonggave the San Francisco Giants his best outing of the spring on Thursday, working five innings and allowing four hits and a solo homer in a 4-4 tie with the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium that was called after nine innings.
ManagerBruce Bochyalso made successful use of baseball’s new video review system, challenging a call on a bang-bang play at first base in the second inning whenJuan Perezhit a chopper to shortstop in what was initially ruled an inning-ending double play. Bochy asked for a review on the call at first and it was overturned. It went for naught, however;Brandon Hicksgrounded out to end the inning.
The only blemish for Vogelsong came in the botton of the third when he served up a line drive home run toShin-Soo Choo. Vogelsong now has a 5.11 ERA in 12.1 innings this spring.
The Giants staked Vogelsong to a 4-1 lead, getting single runs in the third and fourth innings and scoring two more in the fifth.
San Francisco got some two-out magic going in the third whenBrandon Crawfordsingled to right,Pablo Sandovalworked a walk andRoger Kieschnicklined a single to right to bring home Crawford—all after two were out.
Texas tied it on Choo’s homer in the third, but the Giants got the lead right back in the fourth whenAndrew Susacled off the inning with his first home run of the spring, launching a shot to left-center off Texas pitcherMichael Kirkman.
In the fifth, Sandoval reached on a one out single and moved up to second on Kirkman’s wild pitch. After Kieschnick was rung up on strikes,Mark Minicozzisingled to left to keep the inning alive. Susac reached on a slow roller to short that scored Sandoval and after Perez walked, Brandon Hicks worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-1.
The Giants bullpen, though, couldn’t hold it. The Rangers got a run in the seventh off reliever Juan Gutierrez whenEngel Beltregrounded an RBI single through the left side. Texas then picked up two runs in the eighth offJose De Paulaon a two-run single byKevin Kouzmanoff.
AfterJake Dunningset the Rangers down in order in the bottom of the ninth, the game was called.
David Huffworked a scoreless inning for San Francisco, striking out one andDerek Lawstruck out one of the two batters he faced and retired.
The Giants had 10 hits, two each for Kieschnick, Crawford and Susac.
San Francisco returns to Scottsdale Stadiun Friday to host a split squad from the Colorado Rockies at 1:05 p.m. Pacific.
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