SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Matt Cain didn’t have to do much in his final tuneup of the spring. Then again, the San Francisco Giants already know all they need to about their young right-hander.
Working on three days’ rest for the second time this spring, Cain pitched two innings, allowing one hit and one run during the Giants’ 2-2 tie in 10 innings with the Oakland Athletics on Friday.
“I got a little anxious to be out there but other than that it was OK,” Cain said. “I felt real good.”
Barry Bonds went 0-for-3 with three flyouts for San Francisco, which has yet to beat the A’s in four games this spring.
Coming off an impressive rookie season in which he led the Giants with 13 wins, Cain has shown no signs of slowing this spring and continues to solidify his spot as San Francisco’s No. 2 starter behind Barry Zito.
Cain’s work last season and into this spring has made him one of the top young pitchers in the majors, a fact not lost on Oakland starter Rich Harden, who opposed Cain on the mound Friday.
“I call him a power pitcher,” Harden said. “He usually runs it up there pretty good. He’s a good pitcher to watch.”
Limited to 48 pitches because of the quick turnaround in starts, the 22-year-old was sharp against Oakland and showed poise while escaping a bases-loaded, no-out threat in the second.
After retiring the side in order in the first without allowing a ball out of the infield, Cain sandwiched a pair of walks around a single to the A’s Nick Swisher. Cain then got Travis Buck to ground into a double play, scoring Eric Chavez, before striking out Mark Ellis looking.
“It’s a good confidence boost, to get that (last) out in a positive way,” Cain said. “That could have gotten real ugly.”
While Cain was cruising, Harden stumbled early, but recovered for one of his strongest outings of the spring.
He gave up a leadoff triple to Dave Roberts in the first followed by Omar Vizquel’s first-pitch double down the right-field line which gave San Francisco a 1-0 lead. Harden got Bonds to hit a high pop up to short left then retired the next two hitters.
Harden again got Bonds in the third when the Giants’ slugger flied out to deep center on a 3-2 pitch.
Harden finished with four strikeouts in four innings and retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced, completing a spring in which he compiled a 1.53 ERA. The Oakland right-hander struck out 20 over his final 12 2-3 innings.
“I feel pretty good. The past couple of starts I’ve had to work through some mechanical issues, which is good,” Harden said. “Spring training results don’t mean a whole lot. In general, it’s more how you feel.”
Bonds, who will resume his pursuit of Hank Aaron’s 755 career home runs when the Giants open the season Tuesday against San Diego, was greeted by loud ovations from the San Francisco crowd every time he came to the plate but was kept in check by Oakland’s pitchers.
The A’s scored the go-ahead run in the sixth on an RBI single by Shannon Stewart but the Giants tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Ray Durham scored on a passed ball.
Giants closer Armando Benitez, booed almost every time he pitched in San Francisco last season, was greeted warmly by the crowd at AT&T Park when he came on in the ninth. The cheers grew louder when Benitez, after giving up a two-out walk to Marco Scutaro, struck out Buck to end the inning.
“This late in the spring, it’s what you want to see,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s nice to see the way all the guys are throwing the ball.”
Notes:^@San Francisco RHP Russ Ortiz was scheduled to pitch Friday but instead was sent to Arizona where he will pitch in a minor league game on Sunday. Ortiz is still scheduled to make his regular start April 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers … Rich Aurilia, still recovering from a groin strain, was slated to DH for the Giants but instead started at 1B and had a double in three at-bats … Oakland CF Milton Bradley was held out for a second straight day with soreness in his right side and is day-to-day … Bonds made a rare appearance with his teammates during pre-game stretching then later took grounders at second base alongside Durham.
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