Giants' bats come alive to end losing streak vs. A's

OAKLAND - Madison Bumgarner pitched into the seventh to snap a two-start skid and also batted in an AL ballpark, and the San Francisco Giants avoided a four-game sweep by beating the Oakland Athletics 12-6 on Thursday night.

Buster Posey hit a towering three-run homer to center in the third and Brandon Crawford followed with a solo shot before adding an RBI single two innings later.

Brandon Belt had four RBIs and hit a go-ahead two-run double in the third ahead of Posey’s ninth home run. Bumgarner helped start the rally with a leadoff double.

Bumgarner (9-4) was given the option by manager Bruce Bochy to bat himself rather than the Giants using a designated hitter, and of course the big lefty chose to swing the bat. He had lost two consecutive starts following seven consecutive winning decisions.

Marcus Semien hit his career-best 16th home run in the first as the A’s took a quick lead against Bumgarner, then Yonder Alonso added a two-run drive in the seventh to chase Bumgarner. Hunter Strickland relieved. Oakland has homered in a season-best nine games in a row.

Bumgarner allowed four runs and seven hits, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter in 61/3 innings. The two home runs allowed matched his most for the season, also done opening day at Milwaukee on April 4. He hasn’t lost three consecutive starts since June 27-July 8, 2014.

While San Francisco had given up seven or more runs in four consecutive games, the Giants helped Oakland score at least six runs in a seventh straight contest when Coco Crisp hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth.

San Francisco added on late, getting Belt’s two-run single. Fernando Rodriguez also walked in a pair of runs among his five free passes in the inning, and the A’s had their three-game winning streak snapped with only a second defeat in the last eight games.

A’s lefty Dillon Overton (1-1) was done after three innings in his second major league start after he won his debut Saturday at Los Angeles. This time, he surrendered eight runs and eight hits.

NOTES

With 2B Joe Panik on the concussion list and 2B Ramiro Pena sidelined with a sprained ankle after colliding with RF Mac Williamson on Wednesday, San Francisco purchased the contract of 2B Grant Green and inserted him into the starting lineup immediately. He hadn’t played in nine days since Williamson - then with Triple-A Sacramento - inadvertently let go of his bat and it hit Green in the right knee. He required four stitches, which were removed Wednesday.

Giants right-hander RHP Sergio Romo, out since April 15 with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, was set to throw consecutive days and then be ready to come off the 60-day disabled list.

A’s left-hander Sean Doolittle was undergoing an MRI exam on his strained throwing shoulder, which landed him on the 15-day DL retroactive to Sunday. He had tried to play catch Wednesday but struggled. The hope is he will be ready to return after the All-Star break.

Outfielder Khris Davis was out of the Oakland lineup a day after being scratched with a bruised left shoulder injured running into the wall Tuesday.