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Suarez, Beede struggle as split-squad Giants top Angels twice

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Andrew Suarez struggled in Scottsdale but the Giants defeated the Angels 11-7 in a the first split-squad match-up between the two teams on Saturday.  Suarez gave up five hits and four earned runs to a minor-league heavy Angels lineup in Scottsdale. His big miss came on a 1-1 pitch to Luis Valbuena in the top of the second, where Valbeauna promptly sent Suarez’s offering over the fence for a three-run home run. Suarez gave up an additional homer in the third to designated hitter Chris Carter on the first pitch, a solo shot.

Suarez did show some optimistic signs of control in his last inning, however. He finished his outing with a one-two-three inning in the fourth, and retired two of three batters on strikeouts.

“My fastball on the left side was running in,” Suarez said. “My slider didn’t have that downhill action today, it was more like a cutter. I just didn’t have my stuff.

“It’s different, day-by-day,” he added. “Today my changeup was really good, and usually that’s really not my pitch.”

In the second Giants – Angels showdown of the day, Tyler Beede breezed through the Angels “A” lineup in Tempe with ease the first time, tossing two scoreless frames and giving up just one hit to Mike Trout. He ran into trouble early in the third inning though, and gave up seven straight singles that eventually knocked him out of the game. Trout, Albert Pujols and Kole Calhoun all accounted for RBI singles off Beede, who gave up six earned runs and eight hits over 2.1 innings.

The Giants won that match up however, 9-8.

The early struggles from Beede and Suarez don’t exactly bode well for either in their hopes of clinching a spot in the Giants’ starting rotation come April. Both are still in competition with Ty Blach for the fourth and fifth rotation spots, yet all three will need to improve or the Giants very well may consider opening the season with a four-man rotation. A healthy amount of team off-days in April don’t hurt those odds, either.

Pitching woes aside, the Giants may have found a nice one-two combination for the start of their lineup come Opening Day. The early punch of Joe Panik in the leadoff spot and Brandon Belt in the two hole was effective in Scottsdale as both reached base safely twice. Panik led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on Parker Bridwell’s wild pitch. Belt launched his second home run in as many days, and followed up with a double in his next at bat.

Game notes:

After striking out 15 times over his previous 23 at bats, Jarrett Parker bounced back by going 2 for 3 with a RBI single and a monstrous solo shot to right in the bottom of the third. He did strike out twice afterwards to finish out the day.

Tony Watson pitched one inning of relief and gave up two hits, but both runners were erased on the bases thanks to stellar defense. Watson demonstrated his stealthy pick-off move and successfully picked off Young Jr. on a steal attempt. A Steven Duggar – Panik – Chase d’Arnaud relay from right-center field retired Jose Fernandez, who tried to stretch a double into a triple, to end the inning.

Nick Hundley knocked his second home run of the spring just over the outstretched glove of former Padre Jabari Blash in right field.

Corey Gearrin, Hunter Strickland and Rule 5 draft pick Julian Fernandez each pitched an inning of relief in Scottsdale. Gearrin allowed one hit, one walk and struck out one, while Fernandez gave up two runs over one hit, via Blash’s two-run home run on a 3-2 delivery. Fernandez retaliated however, and struck out two to end the inning. Strickland pitched a perfect eighth inning and struck out the last batter he faced to retire the side. He picked up the win as well.

A sacrifice bunt courtesy of Gregor Blanco that resulted in a throwing error by the Angels’ pitcher led to a three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. Jerry Sands, formerly with the Dodgers and Indians, and invited up from minor-league camp, barreled a two-run triple and Aramis Garcia followed with an RBI single to make it 10-7. A fielding error by the Angels right fielder allowed Garcia to score, accounting for the final score of 11-7.

Dereck Rodriguez, son of Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, pitched a near-perfect ninth inning for San Francisco in Scottsdale, with his lone blemish being a hit batter. He struck out Jared Walsh swinging to end the game.

Hunter Pence went 1-4 in Tempe with three strikeouts, but did account for an RBI single in the seventh. Mac Williamson recorded his fourth home run of the spring as well.