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Giants rally in 9th to top A's

Jun 23, 2012 - 5:56 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - San Francisco's Tim Lincecum settled down after a strenuous opening frame, but it wasn't enough to snap his 10-start winless streak.

The Giants offense, however, came alive in the top of the ninth and helped the visitors put the brakes on a six-game road losing skid at the Coliseum.

Brandon Belt smacked the game-tying two-run double, while Hector Sanchez singled home the go-ahead run in a four-run ninth as the Giants edged the Oakland Athletics, 5-4, in the opener of the three-game Bay Bridge Series.

Susceptible to big innings this season, Lincecum needed 43 pitches and allowed two walks and all three of the hits he was charged with in a three-run first. It was the ninth time this year that he's given up three-or-more runs in an inning.

The 28-year-old composed himself, though, and conceded just two free passes over his final five frames, keeping the Giants in the game until they exploded in the ninth.

Trailing 3-1 in the final inning, Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval worked back- to-back walks off of Ryan Cook (2-2) to begin the frame. They both scored when Belt sliced an opposite-field double past a diving Collin Cowgill in left, knotting the game at 3-3.

Pinch-hitter Justin Christian followed with a single to put runners on the corners with none away. Sean Doolittle replaced Cook on the mound and immediately served up the go-ahead run as Sanchez ripped a single to left, plating Belt for a 4-3 Giants edge.

After Joaquin Arias' sacrifice bunt put runners on the corners with one out, Gregor Blanco added some insurance when he whacked a single to left, bringing home Chrisian and giving the Giants a two-run cushion.

Josh Reddick cracked a one-out solo homer in the home half of the frame to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Santiago Casilla struck out Yoenis Cespedes and Jonny Gomes to seal the win and earn his 20th save of the season.

Clay Hensley (3-3) registered the final out of the eighth inning to pick up the win.

Jarrod Parker fanned four and surrendered a run on four hits and two walks over six-plus frames for the A's, who had won nine of their last 10 games coming in.

In Oakland's three-run first, Jemile Weeks slapped an RBI single up the middle, Seth Smith recorded an RBI groundout and Brandon Inge worked a bases-loaded walk to give the A's a 3-0 lead.

Blanco's RBI single in the third cut the margin to 3-1.

Game Notes

A's starting pitchers have allowed one run or fewer in each of their last five contests...Lincecum has walked three-or-more batters in nine of his 15 starts this year...San Francisco had lost four of its last five coming in.