Sandoval closing in on everyday job

Henry Schulman
SFGate/The Splash

Pablo Sandoval had three hits today, a homer, a bunt single and a check-swing infield hit on a ball that actually bounced in the dirt before Sandoval hit it.

"We're going to have Pablo come out early tomorrow and show everybody how to do that cricket swing," batting coach Carney Lansford said. Sandoval also made some nice plays in the field. Every day he provides more assurance he can play the position.

Last week, I reported that GM Brian Sabean was not ready to name Sandoval the everyday third baseman, but it's looking more and more that he's going to get the job.

As manager Bruce Bochy said after today's game, "Right now I'd say yeah, that's where he's been."

The Giants lost to the Mariners 5-1. Randy Johnson returned from his little injury blip and allowed two runs over three innings. He was clocked at 91 mph on one scout's gun. Tim Lincecum, coming off that bad start against the Cubs when he was fighting bronchitis, threw 68 pitches over six innings and allowed three runs.

From: MLB.com

Seattle	Seattle 5, San Francisco 1 Today's Boxes 3/23/09 MIN 8, BAL 7 BOS 7, DET 6 HOU 10, FLA 8 PHI 8, NYY 3 PIT 4, TB 1 CIN 3, TOR 0 STL 6, WSH 3 CHC 20, OAK 5 SD 9, KC 7 LAA 10, LAD 4 COL 7, MIL 1	San Francisco
	March 23, 2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Seattle 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 5 7 0 San Francisco 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0
	Standings | Recap: SEA | SF

	Seattle AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Chavez, LF 3 0 0 1 0 0 1 .000 Betancourt, SS 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .387 Lopez, J, 2B 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 .300 Sweeney, M, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333 Shelton, 1B 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .474 Balentien, RF 3 1 2 3 0 0 0 .410 Gutierrez, F, CF 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .292 Tuiasosopo, M, 3B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .415 Morse, 3B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 Johnson, R, C 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 .440 Jakubauskas, P 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 a-Woodward, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .217 Aardsma, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 b-Clement, PH 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .229 1-Johnson, B, PR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .667 Stark, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Delgado, J, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 30 5 7 5 1 1 6 a-Grounded out for Jakubauskas in the 6th. b-Walked for Aardsma in the 8th. 1-Ran for Clement in the 8th. BATTING 2B: Johnson, R 2 (3, Johnson, Lincecum), Betancourt (3, Johnson), Lopez, J 2 (2, Lincecum, Lincecum). HR: Balentien (3, 2nd inning off Johnson, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Betancourt 2; Lopez, J 4; Balentien 5; Johnson, R 4. RBI: Balentien 3 (7), Betancourt (4), Chavez (2). 2-out RBI: Betancourt. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Betancourt. SF: Balentien; Chavez. GIDP: Gutierrez, F. Team LOB: 1. BASERUNNING CS: Betancourt (2, 3rd base by Johnson/Molina, B). FIELDING DP: (Betancourt-Sweeney, M). San Francisco AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Winn, RF 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 .231 Torres, RF-CF 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .444 Renteria, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .222 Frandsen, SS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .328 Sandoval, P, 3B 4 1 3 1 0 1 1 .442 Molina, B, C 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .265 Posey, B, C 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .400 Rowand, CF 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .216 Horwitz, LF 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 Aurilia, 1B 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 .353 Bowker, 1B 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 Velez, LF-RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .321 Burriss, 2B 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 .393 Downs, 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300 Johnson, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 a-Ishikawa, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321 Lincecum, P 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 .000 Totals 31 1 5 1 3 6 9 a-Flied out for Johnson in the 3rd. BATTING HR: Sandoval, P (3, 1st inning off Jakubauskas, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Sandoval, P 6; Aurilia; Velez. RBI: Sandoval, P (8). 2-out RBI: Sandoval, P. GIDP: Burriss. Team LOB: 6. FIELDING DP: (Frandsen-Downs-Bowker). Seattle IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Jakubauskas (W, 1-0) 5.0 3 1 1 2 3 1 2.16 Aardsma (H, 2) 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 2.70 Stark (H, 3) 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2.35 Delgado, J 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7.94 San Francisco IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Johnson (L, 1-2) 3.0 3 2 2 0 0 1 2.38 Lincecum 6.0 4 3 3 1 1 0 3.78 WP: Lincecum. Groundouts-flyouts: Jakubauskas 7-5, Aardsma 1-3, Stark 2-0, Delgado, J 1-2, Johnson 4-4, Lincecum 10-7. Batters faced: Jakubauskas 19, Aardsma 8, Stark 4, Delgado, J 3, Johnson 11, Lincecum 22. Umpires: HP: Gerry Davis. 1B: Jim Joyce. 2B: Paul Schrieber. 3B: David Rackley. Weather: 68 degrees, sunny. Wind: 15 mph, Out to CF. T: 2:09. Att: 8,590. March 23, 2009 Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner