SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tim Lincecum’s 19-pitch first inning was an adventure.
A leadoff double to Ichiro Suzuki followed by a walk. A flyout, then a strikeout on a double steal. And a two-run single by — surprise — old San Francisco teammate Ryan Garko. Eric Byrnes eventually grounded out.
Lincecum, the two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, doesn’t quite look like himself yet at spring training and struggled through 2 2-3 innings in the Giants’ sloppy 6-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.
He isn’t one bit worried.
The hard-throwing righty got Ryan Langerhans on a swinging strikeout to start his 17-pitch second on a change-up that bounced in front of the plate. Lincecum escaped the inning unscathed.