PHOENIX (AP) - Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin joked before the game that he'd love to see Yoenis Cespedes hit three homers, steal three bases and rob a hitter of a home run in center field in his first major league game Saturday.
He gladly settled for what the Cuban defector delivered - a solo homer and an RBI single - in Oakland's 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
What impressed Melvin more than those two big hits, however, was Cespedes' patience in his first big league at-bat, when the swift center fielder didn't take a single swing while drawing a walk off right-hander Johnny Cueto.
"This is the day we were waiting for," Melvin said. "There was a pretty bright spotlight on him today, so for him to be able to go up there and take a walk his first at-bat, I think impressed me as much as the other at-bats.
"Certainly, they got better and better as they went along: a bullet up the middle and then with two strikes fouled off some pitches and then finally got one he could handle and hit it out," Melvin said. "So, I would think he's going to go home tonight with a smile on his face, feeling pretty good about his first day."
Indeed.
"I feel great, Cespedes said with former A's pitcher and fellow Cuban native Ariel Prieto interpreting for him. "The results I had today make me feel good."
Sandoval, Zito carry Giants past Brewers 13-3
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Barry Zito is happy with the progress he's made so far this spring.
He allowed one hit in three scoreless innings and the San Francisco Giants earned a 13-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in a split-squad game on Saturday.
The left-hander threw 30 strikes out of 45 pitches.
Pablo Sandoval doubled and homered in the Giants' eight-run third inning. It was his first homer of the spring.
The Giants had 16 hits, including three homers.