SAN DIEGO (AP) - All the San Francisco Giants really needed was a big dose of The Freak.
Tim Lincecum struck out 13 and held the San Diego Padres to one run and three hits in seven innings to lead the defending World Series champions to just their second win in six games, 8-4 on Wednesday night.
"Everybody kind of relaxed and just kind of went back to playing ball the right way, with a positive mentality," Lincecum said.
Perhaps as impressive as his 13 strikeouts - two shy of his career high - was that Lincecum didn't walk a batter. He was handed a 3-0 lead in the first inning, then struck out the first four batters he faced.
He credited that to "having good rhythm, and sometimes I get out of that, and that's when I fall into trouble. But I made sure everything was working right. I kind of used every one of my pitches, so that was good. I just tried to attack the zone as much as possible."
Lincecum left with an 8-1 lead after seven. Closer Brian Wilson, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, pitched the ninth in a non-save situation, allowing three runs on two infield singles and a walk.
Blue Jays 5, Athletics 3
TORONTO (AP) - Dallas Braden isn't panicking about Oakland's poor start to the season.
Travis Snider hit a three-run home run, Yunel Escobar had three hits before leaving with an injury and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Braden and the Athletics 5-3 on Wednesday night.
Oakland has lost four of five to star the season and will try to avoid being swept by Toronto Thursday afternoon. The Athletics visit Minnesota and Chicago before returning home.
"Hopefully we'll put all three facets of the game together (Thursday)," outfielder Josh Willingham said. "We need to get a win this series, for sure."
Braden (0-1), who allowed 10 hits and five runs in seven-plus innings, understands there's plenty of time to right the ship.
"There's always room for improvement," Braden said. "But I don't feel like we're so down and out or at the bottom of the barrel or anything like that. I don't have that sense at all about this team. For game five to feel like we're behind the 8-ball or feel like we're not doing our best, I think it's a little early."
