OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics are back to following the formula that propelled them to the AL West title last season: a starting pitcher that goes deep into games, a little pop at the plate and a bullpen that protects the lead. Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer to back Dan Strailys strong start, and the As beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 in the Bay Bridge Series opener Monday for their fourth straight win. "That started last year," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Its just a little different feeling. You dont have to get up for these games. You dont have to find extra adrenaline." Straily (3-2) allowed four hits and one walk in six innings. Buster Poseys groundout in the sixth drove in San Franciscos lone run. Donaldson connected against Madison Bumgarner (4-3) in the fourth, and Yoenis Cespedes added a two-run double against George Kontos in the seventh to extend Oaklands lead. Sean Doolittle pitched two perfect innings and Grant Balfour recorded his 11th save of the season for Oakland, which has won nine of 10 since falling to a season-low two games below .500. "I didnt watch much of the playoffs last year, but I heard the Giants won the World Series," Doolitte said, sarcastically. "So theyre the defending champs in your building. Thats a crosstown rival. Thats a game you get up for. Packed house. The crowd was electric. It was an awesome environment." The usual sprinkling of green-and-gold clad fans mixed with San Franciscos orange-and-black following that travelled from across the bay to pack the Oakland Coliseum. The announced sellout crowd of 36,067 traded chants of "Lets go Oakland!" and "Lets go Giants!" throughout the cloudy afternoon. Straily retired 14 of his first 15 batters and looked confident and in control from the start. Bumgarner struggled with his command --matching a career high with five walks -- but didnt allow a hit until the fourth. That hit turned out to be the difference. Donaldson sent a cutting 89 mph fastball over the right-centre field wall to give the As a 2-0 lead. Donaldson raised his right hand in the air after jogging around first base, celebrating his eighth home run with a little extra flair. "He had thrown a few balls in a row there and I guess wanted to challenge me right there and try to get a double play," Donaldson said. "But I was fortunate to put a good piece of wood on it and hit it out." Bumgarner struck out six, was tagged for all four runs and also hit a batter in 6 2-3 innings. The lefty has lost three of his last four starts. "I wasnt missing by a big margin," he said. "Had a lot of walks and that cost a couple runs. Tried to battle through. The biggest thing today was I wanted to try to go deep and give the bullpen a rest." San Francisco squandered its best chance for a big inning when Posey grounded out in the sixth to score Gregor Blanco, snapping Strailys scoreless streak at 12 1-3 innings. Then Straily snared Hunter Pences grounder to strand Marco Scutaro on third. "Our offence has to get it going here a little bit," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Thats the kind of pitching were going to need. It doesnt go down as a quality start, but he left the game with a really good start and thats what were going to need playing these good clubs. He did all he could. Their guy pitched well." Oaklands bullpen backed up his outing far better than San Franciscos did for Bumgarner, who was relieved after walking Chris Young with two outs in the seventh. Cespedes followed with a towering double off the right-centre field wall that lifted Oakland to a 4-1 lead. It was Strailys second straight scintillating start. He tossed seven innings of two-hit ball in a 1-0 win over Texas last week. "I worked a lot quicker. Really, thats the pitcher I am," Straily said. "I was finally able to break through that and be myself -- work quick, fill up the strike zone. Ive always said Im a strike thrower and not a strikeout pitcher. Thats what I truly believe." NOTES: Giants reliever Santiago Casilla said he will have surgery Tuesday to remove a cyst from inside a bone in his right leg. He hopes to return just after the All-Star game on July 16. ... Oakland RF Josh Reddick, on the disabled list since May 8 with a sprained right wrist, began a rehab assignment Monday night at Class-A Stockton. He will shift to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday, where he will likely be at least three days, Melvin said. ... Giants CF Angel Pagan (sore left hamstring) sat out for the second straight day but hopes to be back in the lineup Tuesday. ... The Giants optioned RHP Sandy Rosario to Triple-A Fresno after the game to make room for lefty Michael Kickham, who will make his major league debut on Wednesday against Oaklands Jarrod Parker (2-6, 5.76 ERA). Kickham takes over the spot in the rotation vacated by Ryan Vogelsong, who fractured his right hand when he was hit by a pitch May 20.Adidas Ultra Boost Norge . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Nmd Sko Udsalg . Once again, DeLaet finished tied for second at a PGA Tour stop on the weekend, this time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The pride of Weyburn, Sask. http://www.nmdnorgesalg.com/ . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Nmd_r1 Sko Hvit . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. Adidas Nmd Salg . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases.LONDON -- Pigs did fly in the second-tier English match between Charlton and Coventry on Saturday.One minute had elapsed at The Valley when a flurry of small plastic pigs was thrown from the stands in a protest by both sets of supporters.Charltons fans are disgruntled by the tenure of club owner Roland Duchatelet, and Coventry supporters are disenchanted by the running of their club by hedgefunnd group Sisu.dddddddddddd The match was preceded by a march to the stadium by a large number of Charlton and Coventry supporters, who called on each set of owners to sell up.The match resumed following a five-minute delay after stewards cleared the playing surface. ' ' '
