SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Before they were ever teammates, Giants starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija used to rely on his slider whenever Hunter Pence came to the plate.
But when Pence, a non-roster invitee with the Texas Rangers this spring, faced off against Samardzija at Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday, the right-hander changed his approach. He tried to beat the veteran outfielder with a cutter – and Pence made him pay.
In the third inning of the Rangers’ 7-6 win, Pence jumped on one of Samardzija’s cutters, sending it over the wall in left as part of his three-hit day against his former club.