Now pitching... Pablo Sandoval 🐼 pic.twitter.com/NI9vOr6raD
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 29, 2018
April 29 (UPI) -- Third baseman Pablo Sandoval came in and pitched a perfect ninth inning in the San Francisco Giants' 15-6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"Kung Fu Panda" entered the setback Saturday at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif. with the Giants already trailing 15-6. His first showdown was against Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy.
Sandoval threw an 82.9-mph changeup for a ball, before Muncy hacked at his second offering. He grounded out to second baseman Alen Hanson, who threw over to first baseman Brandon Belt.
Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal stepped up for the second at-bat of the frame. Sandoval worked to a 2-2 count against Grandal. The catcher slapped Sandoval's fifth offering -- an 88-mph four-seam fastball -- to the left side to Evan Longoria, who threw over to Belt for the second out of the final frame.
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Sandoval then showed off against Dodgers outfielder Chris Taylor. He got Taylor looking on an 87.5-mph changeup with the first pitch, before getting him swinging on his second offering. Taylor stayed alive by fouling off a curveball on the third pitch. He smacked Sandoval's fourth offering to shortstop Kelby Tomlinson, who threw to Belt for the final out of the inning.
Pablo didn't learn the curveball... he was born with it 🤯 pic.twitter.com/tgJJneRP7F
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 29, 2018
"Kung Fu Panda" went 1-for-4 with an RBI in the loss. Chris Stratton allowed six runs in 1.1 innings to earn the loss on the hill.
"I knew without question he would want to do it," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. "He just loves playing baseball."
Sandoval is hitting .242 with a home run and six RBIs this season for the Giants.