The San Francisco Giants hope to capture the season series over the host Athletics for the second consecutive year when the neighbors conclude their set on Sunday in Oakland, Calif.
San Francisco’s Logan Webb (9-5, 3.20 ERA) is expected to face fellow right-hander Adrian Martinez (2-2, 6.52), who flew in from Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday to fill the spot in the rotation of now-New York Yankees pitcher Frankie Montas.
The Giants and A’s have played on remarkably even terms since San Francisco won its first of three championships in five seasons in 2010. The clubs went 25-25 from 2010-19 before the A’s took five of six in 2020.
A win today, coupled with a two-game split in San Francisco in April, would give the Giants seven of 10 in the past two seasons in the Bay Bridge Series.
The series opener drew 40,065, the biggest crowd for an A’s home game since the Giants’ most recent visit attracted 40,133 last August.
The biggest crowd in Oakland this season had been just 24,403 for fireworks night on the Fourth of July against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“Great crowd. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a ‘W’ for our fans here today,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “I know the players really enjoy the excitement, enjoy the energy in the stadium. We’re looking forward to another day of the same.”
Giants newcomer J.D. Davis was introduced to the rivalry and responded to a pinch-hitting role with one of the visitors’ three home runs in a 7-3 win.
A native of Elk Grove, Calif., and lifelong Giants fan, Davis admitted he’s still floating on Cloud Nine after having been acquired from the New York Mets at the trade deadline.
“It’s been a dream come true. It’s been a whirlwind going from the East Coast to the West Coast,” Davis said. “Growing up over here. This is my hometown team. Pretty cool. Unbelievable. Just looking outside the hotel and looking at Oracle (Park) and being like, ‘Wow, I’m actually playing here.'”
Webb will be making his fifth career start against the A’s, having gone 0-2 with a 6.87 ERA in the previous four. He did not get a decision in a 2-1 win at Oakland last August, limiting the A’s to one run in six innings.
The 25-year-old is winless in his past three starts, having allowed 10 runs and 15 hits in 11 1/3 innings in his past two outings.
Webb will be opposed by Martinez, a rookie whom the A’s have summoned twice previously from Las Vegas, including a three-game stint beginning in late June in which he went 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA.
Martinez was sent back to Triple-A on July 11 after a 10-8 loss at Texas in which he allowed four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.
The 25-year-old has gone 4-6 with a 5.54 ERA in 16 starts at Triple-A this season.
He has yet to pitch against the Giants.
–Field Level Media
