Bay Bridge Series between San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics begins

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants has renewed the Bay Bridge Series at Oracle Park.

Both teams are fighting for their playoff lives. Last year the A's took four of six games from the Giants.

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In Tuesday nights game Madison Bumgarner struck out nine over seven innings and outdueled fellow left-hander Brett Anderson, pitching the San Francisco Giants past the Oakland Athletics 3-2 despite a late threat.

Evan Longoria and Kevin Pillar each hit RBI doubles during a string of three straight two-out doubles by the Giants in the sixth against Anderson (10-8).

Bumgarner (8-7), 4-0 over his previous nine starts with the Giants going 8-1, allowed two hits and didn't walk a batter for the sixth time this year. He also laid down a sacrifice bunt in the seventh that led to pinch-hitter Scooter Gennett's sacrifice fly and a key insurance run.

Stephen Piscotty homered in the fifth, but otherwise Bumgarner shut down the powerful A's lineup. Oakland faced a lefty starter for the fourth time in six games after doing so just once the previous 18.

Marcus Semien got a strange single to start the game when first baseman Aramis Garcia ran over the right-field line into foul territory then back fair as the ball dropped out of his reach.

Bumgarner then retired the next 13 Oakland batters in order, including eight of 11 on strikeouts before Piscotty connected for his 12th homer on a drive to left with two outs in the fifth.

Will Smith allowed Dustin Garneau's leadoff single in the ninth, a pinch-hit single to Khris Davis, then struck out Marcus Semien before Matt Chapman's single loaded the bases for Matt Olson. Chapman had moments earlier just missed a home run to left, foul by inches.

Chapman struck out and Mark Canha walked to bring home a run, then Chad Pinder struck out as Smith escaped with his 29th save in 32 chances.

Anderson struck out four and didn't have a walk in six innings, giving up two runs on six hits. He was trying to win consecutive starts for the first time since May 20 and 26 against Cleveland and Seattle. He dropped to 2-5 in 11 career starts against the Giants, 1-5 in San Francisco, and 6-3 in 13 road starts.

This year the series starts with two games at Oracle Park, then they will play in Oakland next weekend.

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.