SAN FRANCISCO -- It only took Josh Donaldson three innings to knock in five runs on two no-doubt blasts as the A's defeated the Giants 8-1 to avoid being swept in the spring Bay Bridge Series.It was the final spring tune-up for each team. Both teams will have Thursday off, before the A's open a two-game series with the Mariners and the Giants face Arizona in their opening day Friday.Manager's orders: Aside from scoring more runs early, manager Bruce Bochy thinks the Giants are ready for the season. Since the manager made the request for early offense Tuesday, the Giants have led off two games with first-inning runs. On Tuesday in Oakland, it was all Gregor Blanco, whose contract was purchased Wednesday. A day later, Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey provided the run as Sandoval got to Tommy Milone early with a ground-rule double -- showing early power from the right side -- and Posey flared a single to right for one of those early runs.Sandoval's rope came from the right side, and after the game Tommy Milone admitted he left the pitch up.Bottom of the order power: Bob Melvin said Tuesday that it won't quite be a platoon at third, that Josh Donaldson has earned the majority of the time over there. He showed why Wednesday, sending deep fly balls into the left-field bleachers in each of his first two at bats.Donaldson will be counted on, Melvin said, to provide the team with a "bottom of the order power guy."If he continues to hit like he did Wednesday, Melvin will have a tough time keeping him down in the order, let alone platooning him at third.Donaldson finished the game 4-for-5 with five RBI.Carrying it over: "It's not an issue," Brandon Crawford said wiggling the thumb in question. "I'm ready."Crawford was busy telling media members about how nice it was to know your role with a club, instead of fighting for one, when Aubrey Huff sauntered by."Why's everyone talking to you?""I don't know," relied Crawford. "I guess I had a good spring."Crawford -- whose bat has always been the knock against him -- hit .333 in 21 games this spring. He also hit three home runs, one less than Pablo Sandoval, Melky Cabrera and Hector Sanchez for the team lead.With the protective sleeve gone from his thumb, the Giants are counting on his spring success to carry over.The beard: Bruce Bochy said he would get Brain Wilson in Wednesday's game for a batter, two at the most. True to his word, it was Wilson who exited the dugout in the top of the eighth inning.Wilson got Kila Ka'aihue to ground out to first base. And Bochy left Wilson in the game to face the scalding-hot Donaldson, already 4-for-4 in the game. Wilson induced the 4-3 putout and Dave Righetti promptly headed to the mound to relieve Wilson, who got a loud ovation from the 39,780 fans in AT&T Park.Two-thirds of an innings for Wilson, no hits, runs, walks or strikeouts.The real deal: Just about every player and coach who met the media Wednesday used the word "excited" when referring to the regular season getting under way.Tim Lincecum and the Giants will take on Ian Kennedy and the Diamondbacks Friday. Brandon McCarthy and the A's are set to face Felix Hernandez and the Mariners -- again.
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