Bumgarner pitches Giants to win and swings the bat, too

OAKLAND, Calif - OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — 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.

A's lefty Dillon Overton (1-1) was done after three innings in his second major league start, giving up eight runs and eight hits.