Major League Baseball

Lincecum goes 5 innings but Giants lose 6-4 to Athletics

Published Mar. 27, 2015 1:11 a.m. ET

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) Tim Lincecum pitched five shaky innings for the San Francisco Giants, and Billy Butler hit a two-run double that helped the Oakland Athletics to a 6-4 victory Thursday night.

Giants catcher Hector Sanchez drove in two runs and then left the game after getting hit in the throat area with a foul ball in the seventh.

A's starter Jesse Chavez completed 3 2-3 innings two days after his wife, Crystal, gave birth to the couple's third child, Dannie Rae. He allowed four runs - two earned - and seven hits. Chavez walked two and struck out one.

''It's been kind of a whirlwind,'' Chavez said. ''It's just a different feeling with someone coming into the world and it's yours. It gave me extra motivation to go out and do the best I could for them.''

Eric Sogard drove in three runs for Oakland.

Lincecum, making his second start following three relief appearances, gave up four runs - three earned - and four hits. He walked two and struck out seven.

''I was able to put some guys away,'' Lincecum said. ''It's been my M.O., so it's good to know I have my stuff.''

Sergio Romo pitched a scoreless ninth for the Giants.

Brandon Crawford drove in a run, and Brandon Belt added two hits for San Francisco.

Josh Phegley had an RBI, and Mark Canha got two hits for the A's.

STARTING TIME

Athletics: Chavez lamented his inability to put hitters away.

''Getting ahead is not the problem, it's finishing,'' he said. ''I can't get it elevated. After throwing two strikes I tell myself to throw a ball, but I can't get myself to do it. The only difference I'm feeling is getting the ball where I want it.''

Chavez remains on the bubble as far as the starting rotation, which might open the door for Drew Pomeranz or Barry Zito.

''I felt great,'' Chavez said. ''The biggest thing is throwing strikes and being able to get out of jams.''

Giants: Lincecum appears much more relaxed this spring as he goes about preparing for the season. He's all but claimed a spot in the starting rotation and hopes to prevent big innings by focusing from the start.

''It comes down to one or two pitches,'' he said. ''It's locking in from the first pitch to the leadoff hitter. It was another good day to get up and down for five innings and get my pitch count up.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Athletics: OF Coco Crisp (sore elbow) should be able to return to the lineup by Saturday. Oakland manager Bob Melvin said the plan was to give Crisp three days off after receiving a cortisone shot. ... LHP Sean Doolittle could begin a throwing program by the end of the weekend. ... OF Josh Reddick (right oblique strain) took some batting practice Thursday.

Giants: Sanchez could barely talk afterward but said he was fine. He had a bruise just under his right collarbone.

LINCECUM'S WARMUP MUSIC

Lincecum said he's leaning toward using David Bowie's ''Fame'' as his warmup music this season. He liked how it sounded when he heard it used during a car commercial.

The song was a No. 1 hit nine years before Lincecum was born.

EXTRA BASES

Giants OF Nori Aoki is 7 for 18 the past five days after going 4 for 34 in his first 12 games. ... Butler has reached base safely in each of his last 10 games. ... Canha is batting .409 during a seven-game hitting streak (9 for 22).

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Jesse Hahn starts Friday against the Texas Rangers in Mesa.

Giants: RHP Chris Heston gets the start against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. LHP Madison Bumgarner will throw in a minor league game.

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