SAN FRANCISCO – Pablo Sandoval had three hits and drew a walk despite playing with an respiratory ailment Tuesday. But the crud, as Bruce Bochy usually calls it, continued to take hold.
Sandoval didn’t take batting practice and was a late scratch from Wednesday’s lineup as the Giants try to break through following two losses to the Washington Nationals. Sandoval also “lost some skin” on his knee-skidding slide when he was thrown out at the plate in the sixth inning Tuesday.
Joaquin Arias replaced Sandoval at third base. Brandon Crawford, who already had been promoted to sixth in the lineup against Nats right-hander Tanner Roark, moved up one more spot to fifth. Brandon Hicks and Gregor Blanco also moved up a spot. Arias, who has a .176 average, is batting eighth.
The lineup:
1. Angel Pagan (S) CF
2. Hunter Pence (R) RF
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Michael Morse (S) 1B
5. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
6. Brandon Hicks (R) 2B
7. Gregor Blanco (L) LF
8. Joaquin Arias (R) 3B
9. Matt Cain (R) P
