CHICAGO–With a series against the Cubs hanging in the balance, Giants manager Bruce Bochy declared he needed a quality start from pitcher Ty Blach and second baseman Pablo Sandoval.
But less than halfway through the Giants’ 8-3 loss, Blach and Sandoval walked off the field together as Bochy double switched his starting pitcher and switch-hitting infielder out of the game.
With his top two second basemen on the disabled list, Bochy inserted Sandoval into the starting lineup at the position for the first time in his major league career. The experiment lasted just four innings, as Sandoval was yanked after grounding into a 6-4-3 double play while Blach was pulled after his worst outing of the year.