SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bryan Mitchell has had plenty to deal with: inconsistent command http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-danny-duffy-jersey , a monthlong demotion to the minors, and stint on the disabled list with an elbow injury.Now, the 27-year-old San Diego Padres right-hander believes he’s a better pitcher for it.Mitchell struck out seven in 8 2/3 strong innings, Jose Pirela had a homer among his three hits, and the Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-0 Monday night.“I didn’t plan for this year to go the way it had, but it’s kind of been a learning experience in a sense,” Mitchell said. “I’m definitely a different pitcher than I was.”All indications are that he’s a better pitcher.The Giants lost their fifth straight game hours after the team announced the dismissal of general manager Bobby Evans. The move comes amid a Giants team freefall.San Francisco is four years removed from winning their fourth World Series championship in five years, and in the last week of its second consecutive losing season.The Giants are 4-17 in September, and 166-225 since taking a 53-73 record (best in the majors at the time) into the 2016 All-Star break.“I thanked (Evans) for all his help,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.“Twenty-five years here shows you the continuity we have here in San Francisco. He did a lot to help out in different areas. He wore some different hats here and did a lot for the organization.”Mitchell (2-4) walked just three in what was by far his best start of an uneven season that included a stint on the DL with right elbow impingement.He also spent a month retooling his pitching repertoire at Triple-A El Paso, where he developed a sinker he’s now using to attack hitters.“The curveball’s always been my best pitch and it’s been kind of elusive all year. It’s been an adjustment to work without that,” Mitchell said.Mitchell came to the Padres in an offseason trade with the New York Yankees that also brought Chase Headley.Mitchell had never thrown a complete game in his 19 previous career starts. He’d walked 40 in 64 1/3 innings going into Monday.His single-game innings pitched and strikeout totals were both career highs.“That’s the best he’s been on a big league mound Frank White Jersey ,” Padres manager Andy Green said.Mitchell was within a pitch of what would have been his first career complete game, let alone a shutout.But with two on and two out in the ninth, Mitchell walked Gorkys Hernandez on his 118th pitch.Green then summoned Kirby Yates, who struck Austin Slater for the final out.Jose Pirela homered off Giants starter Derek Holland (7-9) to lead off the fourth. His fourth homer gave the Padres a 3-0 lead.Pirela has 26 hits and 13 RBI in his career against the Giants, more than against any other team.Franmil Reyes had two hits and two RBI, and Wil Myers had two hits and two runs scored.Francia Mejia doubled with one out in the top of the second and scored the game’s first run on Manual Margot’s single.Reyes singled in a run in the third and Hunter Renfroe singled in a run in a two-run sixth inning off Ty Blach.Holland gave up three runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings.“That could have been my last start. I’m not really sure,” Holland said. “It’s kind of not the way I really wanted to go out, but at the same time I did achieve a lot this year and I feel very happy with that.”DIALED INThe Padres have 19 home runs and 171 hits at AT&T Park since the start of 2017, more than any other visiting team over that stretch.UP NEXTLHP Robbie Erlin (4-7, 4.33 ERA) is 1-3 with a 5.64 ERA in eight appearances (five starts) against San Francisco. RHP Chris Stratton (10-10, 4.88) is 2-3 with a 4.70 ERA in five games (four starts) against San Diego.__ ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Playing with a sore hand and a banged-up left leg http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-joakim-soria-jersey , the Oakland Athletics‘ Jed Lowrie would be the first to confirm that winning ugly is way better than losing.Lowrie homered and moved over 1,000 hits for his career, and the Oakland Athletics held on for an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, their ninth win in 11 games.Lowrie took no issue with a potential blowout turning into a nail-biter, a rare occurrence for Oakland’s bullpen.“Who cares?” Lowrie said. “We won.”The A’s took the series against the Angels by winning the last two games. Oakland, which currently occupies the second AL wild-card spot, moved within 2 ½ games of first-place Houston in the AL West. The Astros have lost four straight.Oakland is now 36-12 over its last 48 games, the second-best record in baseball over that stretch, behind the Boston Red Sox. The A’s have taken 13 of their past 16 series.Angels manager Mike Scioscia went with a bullpen day, but the strategy backfired when reliever Taylor Cole (0-3), making his first career start, allowed three runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings.“It becomes more of a ‘Who’s fresh?’ game than a matchup game with the bullpen Kelvin Herrera Jersey ,” Scioscia said. “You try to do your best to put guys in good spots, but right now we’re not there. We’re looking at whoever’s available to give us innings. We try to line ’em up as best we can, but we’re not as efficient as it is if you have the functionality of having starters get to a certain point in the game, which right now we just don’t have.”Lowrie doubled to left field in Oakland’s three-run first inning, giving him 1,000 hits over 11 seasons. It was also the 250th double of his career. Lowrie’s 1001st career hit was his 18th homer this season, a two-run shot during a four-run fourth for the A’s.“It was a lot of hard work that has gone into (1,000 hits),” said Lowrie, who took a grounder off his hand early in Sunday’s game and has spent the last month recovering from a bone bruise in his left leg. “It’s one of those big round numbers that is exciting and memorable, so it’s a pretty special moment.”Marcus Semien had three hits for the A’s and reached base four times, a day after hitting a pair of home runs. Lowrie also had a walk as he reached base three times.Los Angeles trailed by as many as four but pulled within a run in the eighth inning on Shohei Ohtani’s two-run single off Jeurys Familia. Blake Treinen struck out the side in the ninth for his 30th save in 34 opportunities. A’s pitchers matched a season high with 16 strikeouts.Rookie Francisco Arcia homered for the Angels. The homer http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-alcides-escobar-jersey , his third, came one day after Arcia pitched a scoreless mop-up inning. Justin Upton had two hits for the Angels, including an eighth-inning double that gave him an extra-base hit in five consecutive games.A’s starter Trevor Cahill allowed four runs on seven hits with a walk over 4 2/3 innings.“I think it was the first game this year when I didn’t have my changeup, which has been kind of my go-to and my savoir, especially if the fastball command isn’t there,” Cahill said.Fernando Rodney (4-2) pitched a scoreless inning in relief to earn his first victory for the A’s. Rodney has two scoreless innings with Oakland after being acquired from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.“Today is a day when you need a guy like him,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We feel like we have a deep ‘pen, but on days like this is when you need an extended bullpen with that kind of depth.”OHTANI ON TRACKScioscia reiterated Sunday that he expects Ohtani to pitch again this season. While the two-way rookie from Japan has returned to designated-hitter duties, he has not pitched since June 6 because of a sprained right elbow ligament.Ohtani will have what will amount to a medium-intensity bullpen session Monday in San Diego, where the Angels will open a three-game series. He would then work higher-intensity bullpens, followed by pitching to hitters, before his return.Scioscia would not specify when he expects Ohtani to pitch again Jason Hammel Jersey , but the likelihood is mid-to-late September.“The goal is pitching again this year and we feel that is attainable,” Scioscia said.TRAINER’S ROOMAngels: LHP Tyler Skaggs (left adductor strain) returned to the 10-day disabled list following his rough outing Saturday, when he gave up seven runs on 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings against the A’s. … SS Andrelton Simmons was a late scratch from the lineup with left knee soreness and is day-to-day. … C Rene Rivera (arthroscopic knee surgery) was expected to play in a game at Single-A Inland Empire on Sunday and Monday, with the Angels hoping he can return to the active roster during the upcoming road trip to San Diego, Texas and Arizona.UP NEXTA’s: LHP Sean Manaea (10-8, 3.50 ERA) will take the mound Monday at home against the Seattle Mariners, having lasted just 2 2/3 innings in a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers last week.Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney (7-7, 3.96 ERA) will start Monday at San Diego, his first career appearance against the Padres.