SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Heliot Ramos hit a leadoff homer in the first inning and had a go-ahead single in the eighth, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 3-2 victory over the Athletics on Sunday that completed a series sweep.
The three-game set was the teams' first meeting in the Northern California rivalry since the Athletics relocated from Oakland to Sacramento.
With the Giants trailing 2-1 in the eighth, LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a leadoff triple and Patrick Bailey drove him in with a single to tie it. Ramos’ one-out single to left drove in Bailey from second to cap the rally against A’s reliever Tyler Ferguson (0-2).
Randy Rodriguez (3-0) earned the win after throwing a scoreless eighth and Ryan Walker got three outs for his eighth save.
After Ramos gave the Giants a 1-0 lead with a leadoff homer against A's starter Jeffrey Springs, Lawrence Butler’s two-out single with the bases loaded in the fourth off San Francisco starter Justin Verlander gave the A’s a 2-1 lead.
Springs allowed two hits and walked none while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings, retiring 20 straight batters after Ramos' homer. Springs has given up just four runs over his last four starts.
Verlander allowed two runs in four innings and is still searching for his first win of the season through 10 starts — the longest such drought to start a season in his 20-year MLB career.
Key moment
Giants No. 9 hitter Christian Koss dropped down a bunt to move Bailey to second in the eighth. That allowed the catcher to score the go-ahead run on Ramos’ single.
Key stat
Verlander walked five in four innings with just one strikeout.
Up next
Athletics: RHP JT Ginn (1-1, 4.61 ERA) will start Monday to kick off a four-game set at home against the Los Angeles Angels.
Giants: LHP Robbie Ray (6-0, 3.04 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in the first of a three-game set against Kansas City on Monday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Eric He, The Associated Press
