Athletics 0 - 4 Giants
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  for this game

Vogelsong strong as Giants blank A's

May 20, 2012 - 3:07 AM

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San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Ryan Vogelsong continues to prove that his 2011 cinderella season was no fluke.

The 34-year-old tossed seven stellar innings of one-hit ball and a four-run seventh inning helped the San Francisco Giants earn their 11th consecutive home win over the Oakland Athletics with a 4-0 victory in the second test of a three-game interleague set.

Vogelsong (2-2) fanned five, walked one and threw 62 of his 97 pitches for strikes. He has now surrendered one earned run or less over his last four outings and lowered his ERA to 2.27 on the year.

"At the end of last year and in spring training, that's a big goal of mine for the season is to have another solid year," Vogelsong said. "...I still have a lot to prove."

Originally taken by San Francisco in the fifth round of the 1998 MLB Draft, Vogelsong struggled to a 10-23 mark over his first six MLB seasons. He then spent time in Japan and Venezuela and began 2011 with his sixth minor-league club in as many years. But he finally got his big break last April when he replaced the injured Barry Zito.

Vogelsong flourished. He made the All-Star team and finished fourth in the National League in earned run average (2.71) while registering a 13-7 record.

Seth Smith slapped a single to right with one out in the fifth inning to account for Oakland's lone hit of the game.

Tyson Ross (2-4) was charged with two runs on seven hits and four walks in six-plus frames for the A's, who have dropped four of their last five.

The sinkerballer Ross prospered from double plays in each of the third, fifth and sixth innings to keep the game scoreless through six frames.

The Giants, though, finally broke through with a four-run seventh.

Emmanuel Burriss recorded an infield single and Vogelsong reached on a controversial hit by pitch on a bunt attempt.

Oakland manager Bob Melvin vehemently disagreed with the call, feeling that the pitch hit Vogelsong's bat. He was subsequently tossed from the contest.

"Obviously Bob (Melvin) felt that there was no way that the ball hit him and that was a big part in the game because it's a low scoring game at that time. Any break for either team right there really has the momentum to probably win the game," Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson said.

Grant Balfour replaced Ross on the hill and walked Gregor Blanco on four pitches to load the bases with none out. Brandon Crawford struck out looking before Melky Cabrera lifted a sacrifice fly to right-center, which brought home Burriss.

Buster Posey followed and laced a ground-rule double to right-center, which plated Vogelsong for a 2-0 edge. Angel Pagan then slapped a single to center, which pushed across Blanco and Cabrera for a 4-0 lead.

Game Notes

The Giants have outscored the A's, 50-22, during the 10-game home winning streak...the Giants haven't lost at AT&T Park to the A's since June 15, 2008...San Francisco's longest home win streak against an opponent at AT&T Park was their 12-game stretch against the Mets from May 1, 2000-May 16, 2003.






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