It was over almost before it started

The clown-uniformed A's typically give San Francisco fits. Over the past three weeks, every team not residing in Tampa has given Jeff Samardzija fits. You had to figure this was not gonna go well.

There wasn't this much carnage in the "Game of Thrones" season finale.

Marcus Semien's three-run blast in the top of the second staked Oakland to a 5-0 lead and pretty much sealed the deal Monday as the Giants dropped game one of the Bay Bridge Series 8-3.

That's one stunned braintrust. Fans had this same look. (Getty Images)

Samardzija had little to no control of his pitches, a disturbing trend over his last six starts. Too many pitches found the happy zone, and they got hit. Hard. Semien's homer, two doubles, two singles and a walk opened the flood gates as the Athletics used The Shark for a punching bag in that ill-fated second stanza. Even the outs were hit hard. 

People we're still filing into AT&T Park, and it was time to go home.

It was a hallelujah moment for A's starter Daniel Mengden, who got more run support within the span of three outs than he'd received in his first three starts. He entered the game with an 0-3 mark but a 3.00 ERA because he'd been given just two runs total in those games.

For Samardzija, it was the fourth time in six games he'd surrendered at least five runs, and this time the mark was reached early. No drama at least. That's something, right?

Through 10 starts Samardzija was 7-2 and had given up more than three runs once, and he won that game (April 27 against San Diego). Since then, 1-3 over six starts with 25 earned runs surrendered. Calling those numbers low grade dog food would earn us a cease and desist letter from the good folks at Alpo. It's as though whatever infected Jake Peavy over the first eight weeks just moved down a few lockers.

Marcus Semien celebrates his homer, and we dislike him greatly for it. (Getty Images)

Outside of his 29-pitch second-inning odyssey the numbers weren't Elephant Man ugly. He retired the side in order in four of the first five innings, he just can't seem to get himself out of trouble when things begin to go south.

The Giants offense didn't force Mengen out of the windup until there was one gone in the fifth when (who else?) Angel Pagan singled. Gregor Blanco followed with a walk to finally give the home fans something to cheer about, but Ramiro Pena flied out and Conor Gillaspie's looper was back-handed by Semien. End of cheer.

Oakland added a run on three hits in the sixth, with a twin killing limiting the damage. It hardly mattered. The Giants offense had few answers.

Samardzija left for a pinch hitter having thrown six full, allowing six earned on eight hits and a pair of walks. He struck out two.

Chris Stratton is likely to be gone by the weekend with Sergio Romo set to return, and he showed why he was chosen the sacrificial lamb. The first five hitters in the seventh reached base as Oakland extended its lead to 8-0. In fact the first out recorded game when Stratton's bases-loaded wild pitch caromed back to Posey, who flipped to Stratton covering to nip Jed Lowrie at the plate.

At least Pagan continued to hit, so there's that. (Getty Images)

Stratton would eat the last three innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out one. He needed 57 pitches to do it so he'll be knuckle dragging on Tuesday. Samardzija had needed 89 to get through six.

The Giants didn't get two hits in an inning until Pena and Gillaspie singled to open the eighth. A wild pitch granted both an extra base, and Jarrett Parker walked to get the crowd off its collective hands. Stratton was allowed to hit in an effort to save arms for an actual contest, and his double-play grounder pushed home Pena with the first San Francisco tally of the night. 

Panik walked to put runners at the corners and finally chase Mengden. Reliever Fernando Rodriguez got Brandon Belt looking to end the inning but uncorked a wild pitch in the process, allowing Gillaspie to score.

The kids provided some life in the ninth but also showed their inexperience; or just how little focus the team had at the end. Mac Williamson and Trevor Brown had singles to put runners at the corners with no outs. A double-play grounder produced nothing as Williamson stayed glued to third, Pena's second hit of the night got Williamson off the hook and chased home the game's final run.  

The Giants were outhit 12-7 with Pena the only G-Man to produce multiple safeties. All seven San Francisco hits were singles.

The loss thwarted attempt number one at the Giants' 50th win. At 49-29 they saw their NL West lead dip to seven games. Second-place Los Angeles avoided a four-game sweep at Pittsburgh (dammit!) with a 5-4 win.

Another try for win number 50 comes on Tuesday with Albert Suarez (3-1, 3.68) facing Kendall Graveman (3-6, 4.68).

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