How SF Giants enjoyed unintended benefit from Friday’s rain-shortened win

NEW YORK — The Giants’ six-inning, 9-1 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night wasn’t a pleasant experience for any parties involved — fans, players or otherwise. But there was an unintended benefit to the rain-shortened game: fresh arms.

Following Thursday’s off-day, manager Bob Melvin only had to use starter Robbie Ray and reliever Spencer Bivens on Friday, the latter throwing just one inning. With San Francisco just beginning a stretch of 17 games in 17 days, Melvin said it was “huge” for his bullpen to get a blow.