Giants beat Dodgers to finish winning spring

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) " After four straight losing seasons, the San Francisco Giants placed a priority on having a winning spring.

The Giants ended their stay in Arizona on Wednesday by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-8 to wrap up a 19-17 record in the Cactus League.

"We talked about that before the first game," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Last spring wasn't the best spring for us, and coming off a losing season. We wanted to change some things and it starts here, playing well and winning some ballgames. Hopefully it sends a sense of confidence throughout the club."

The Giants, who went 72-90 last season on the way to a fourth-place finish, posted just their second winning spring in the last 11 seasons.

Travis Ishikawa capped a strong camp by hitting his seventh home run. He finished tied for the team lead with 15 RBIs.

Pablo Sandoval, Juan Uribe and minor leaguer Jesus Guzman also drove in 15 runs. Sandoval finished with a .443 batting average and a major league-leading 31 hits.

Fred Lewis had two hits, including a triple, and drove in a run for the Giants.

Doug Mientkiewicz and Juan Castro, competing for roster spots, had two-run homers for the Dodgers, who finished their initial spring in Arizona with a 14-19 record. Juan Pierre added three hits.

With the Giants' decision to use third baseman Sandoval as a backup to catcher Bengie Molina early in the season, both Andres Torres and Eugenio Velez will make the opening-day roster as reserves.

Torres hit his third home run and is hitting .306 with two doubles, two triples, seven RBIs and five stolen bases.

"Now I've learned how to drive the ball," said Torres, who has one homer in 89 major league games in parts of four seasons with Detroit (2002-04) and Texas (2005). "It took me awhile to learn how to hit."

Emmanuel Burriss, who won the starting second base job Tuesday, went 1-for-3 to finish the spring with a .359 average.

"Honestly, I wasn't focused on winning or losing a job. It was more of making myself a better baseball player to help the team have success," Burriss said. "The work is starting to pay off. I'm trying to make it my natural position now."

Giants left-hander Jonathan Sanchez missed his scheduled start after burning his left index finger in a cooking accident earlier in the week. Sanchez is expected to make his first regular-season start on April 11 at San Diego.

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner, the 10th overall pick in the 2007 draft, started for Sanchez and gave up one hit in three scoreless innings. Bumgarner retired the first seven batters he faced and struck out four, including Manny Ramirez on three pitches in the first inning.

Notes: Bochy met with Giants backup C Steve Holm and told him he was unlikely to open the season with the team, although Holm started Wednesday and is expected to travel with the Giants to the Bay Area this weekend. "You have to play until they tell you for sure," said Holm, who had two doubles Wednesday. ... Right-hander Joe Martinez, the top candidate for the long relief spot in the bullpen, won the Harry S. Jordan Award in a vote of Giants players, coaches and training staff. The award is presented to the player in his first spring training camp whose performance and dedication best exemplifies the Giants spirit. ... The Giants have three openings on their 40-man roster, to be filled by Rich Aurilia, Juan Uribe and Torres. ... Giants LHP Noah Lowry, who has not pitched this spring because of left scapula tightness, is expected to begin his throwing program Thursday.