Carfrae pulled out during last years race becau

SAN FRANCISCO -- With all the ups and downs in recent seasons, including his demotion to the bullpen for the playoffs, Tim Lincecum can appreciate the strong starts when most everything goes right -- reminding himself, from his own experiences, how quickly things change. Backed by solo home runs from Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Belt and Marco Scutaro, Lincecum looked in his best form so far in 2013 as the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Sunday to wrap up an impressive homestand. Lincecum (3-2) struck out seven in seven scoreless innings to end a three-start winless stretch in which he went 0-2. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner also stopped a four-start skid against Atlanta, beating the Braves for the first time since April 11, 2010. "Ill take it," Lincecum said. "But Im not jumping up in the air right now. ... Im happy about it, but its still a work in progress. Im still working to get better." Belt hit a solo homer in the second, Sandoval connected in the third and Scutaro went deep leading off the fifth. Gregor Blanco had an RBI double. Brandon Crawford added an RBI single in the fourth for the Giants, who concluded a 7-3 homestand. San Francisco won a home series against the NL East for the first time since April last year. Sandovals two-out drive in the third cleared the elevated right-field arcade and found the water in McCovey Cove, setting off a kayaking commotion in a frenzy to retrieve the souvenir ball. "Any time Pablos got a smile on his face its hard for the whole team not to jump on that energy and feed off it," Lincecum said. It was the 63rd splash homer by the Giants -- home run king Barry Bonds has 35 -- seventh by Kung Fu Panda and second for San Francisco this year. There have been 89 in the 14-season history of AT&T Park, including one by the Braves Brian McCann on Friday night. "My wife asked me to hit a home run into the water for her for Mothers Day," Braves starter Kris Medlen joked. "I must have misunderstood her, and gave up a home run that went into the water." In just his third quality start in eight outings, Lincecum allowed a season-low two hits after being tagged for 19 over his previous two appearances. Giants closer Sergio Romo, San Franciscos fourth reliever, allowed an RBI double to pinch-hitter Evan Gattis for Atlantas lone run. Lincecum said he chatted with the other starters after his last outing about getting back on track collectively as a rotation. "Its just kind of one of those things, we kick each other in the (rear end)," he said after a 111-pitch performance. "Its just, here we go, this is the start of something hopefully good." The NL West-leading Giants make a quick, two-game stop starting Tuesday in Toronto, where former San Francisco outfielder Melky Cabrera will receive his World Series ring for contributions last season before his 50-game suspension for a positive testosterone test. San Francisco then heads to Coors Field in Denver for four games against the Rockies. "Its not going to be easy travel for these guys," manager Bruce Bochy said. "We get into Colorado late, but thats part of the schedule." Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez rejoined his team after two days away to attend his daughter Gigis college graduation in Georgia. But Atlanta lost its third straight since taking the opener Thursday night -- outscored 23-4 over the final three games. "We havent been real fun to watch right now," Gonzalez said. "What did we score, four runs the past couple games? They have a good club and any time we made a mistake they took advantage. We didnt get much of anything going until the end when we scored a run." The Braves continue their 10-game trip at Arizona, where left fielder Justin Upton will face his former Diamondbacks teammates. Medlen (1-5) lost his fourth straight decision and saw his winless stretch reach six outings since his lone victory his first time out this year, April 4 against the Phillies. The right-hander allowed five runs, three earned, walked a season-high five and struck out one in 5 1-3 innings. Umpires went to a replay review after Scutaros fly ball in the sixth was interfered with by a fan, preventing a possible catch by Upton. It was ruled a double, giving Scutaro six straight multihit games during his 12-game hitting streak. NOTES: Lincecum went seven or more innings allowing two or fewer hits for the first time since Aug. 13, 2011, at the Marlins. "It looked nasty from my perspective," Belt said. ... Bochy on all the pink bats, sleeves, cleats and wristbands for breast cancer awareness on Mothers Day: "Its a great day for all of us to have a chance to honour our mothers, and really for me to reflect back and realize how blessed I was to have such a great mother, not just in raising me but she was a big part of my baseball life, with my father being in the service," he said. His mother, Melrose, died in March 2007. ... Bochy hadnt decided on his designated hitter for the two games against the Blue Jays.Wholesale Air Max 90 Womens . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Cheap Air Max 90 Ultra . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. http://www.outletairmax90cheap.com/outlet-air-max-90-essential-cheap.html . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Off White Air Max 90 Outlet . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Wholesale Air Max 90 White . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season.Former champion Mirinda Carfrae took second place at the Hawaiian Ironman triathlon world championships.Swiss Daniela Ryf had an outstanding day and was the only woman able to hold off Carfrae during the marathon, after defending champion Jan Frodeno led a German sweep of the mens podium.Ryf, the defending champion, smashed Carfraes course record with a time of eight hours 46 minutes 46 seconds for the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon run event.That was my best race ever, Ryf said.Carfrae set the previous record of 8:52:14 in 2013, the second of her three Hawaiian Ironman wins.The Australian crossed the line on Sunday (AEDT) in 9:11.Incredibly, given Carfraes run prowess, Ryf gained time on her in the marathon.After also winning in 14, Carfrae pulled out during last years race because of injuries she suffered when hit by a car while riding her bike three days before the event.Ryf haad the lead after the bike and Carfrae was outside the top, 22 minutes 15 seconds behind.ddddddddddddCarfrae is renowned for her run prowess and she mowed down everyone except Ryf, who ran as fast as the Australian.Frodeno, the husband of Australian triathlon great Emma Frodeno (nee Snowsill), pulled away from compatriot Sebastian Kienle on the run and won in 8:06:30.Kienle was next in 8:10:02 and fellow German Patrick Lange was the bolter, finishing a surprise third in 8:11:14.Lange set the mens run record at Kona with 2:39 45, beating the mark that had stood since the legendary Iron War between Americans Mark Allen and Dave Scott in 1989.No Australian finished in the mens top 10 for the second-straight year.Carfraes husband, American Tim ODonnell, finished sixth. 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