PHOENIX (AP) - San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum will likely finish the season with a losing record for the first time in his career.

But the star right-hander was less concerned Sunday about the disappointing season as the pitch that got away in San Francisco's 5-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Advertisement

``I've never hit a batter on purpose in my life,' Lincecum said a couple of hours after hitting Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton in the front of the helmet.

``I've made purpose pitches up there to back guys off plates, but never that close.'

He initially remained in the game and scored Arizona's second run, but left after the inning for precautionary reasons. Neurological tests on Upton were negative and he is listed day to day.

While Upton stayed in the game - albeit briefly - Lincecum (13-14) was impacted immediately.

``I was kind of afraid to go in for fear that kind of stuff would happen again,' said Lincecum, who approached the plate to check on Upton and also sent a message to the right fielder.

``I had one of the players send a message over there saying that it was a complete accident and I had no intention of doing that.

``I just kind of lost it. I was trying to go low and away and it was the complete opposite.'

Lincecum allowed five runs and eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts en route to the loss and the first losing record of his career.

``He had a pretty good year,' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. ``It's hard to believe that he is 13-14. Hopefully, he will look at overall how he threw the ball. He wasn't very sharp today and he will tell you that, but overall he threw the ball as well as did last year if not better.'

Josh Collmenter pitched seven strong innings and Miguel Montero had two RBIs for the Diamondbacks. Collmenter (10-10) allowed five hits and two runs for his second win against the Giants this season. Collmenter struck out four and walked one.

``It's been one heck of a ride this year,' Collmenter said.

Aaron Hill and Colin Cowgill also had run-scoring hits for the Diamondbacks, who have won six of seven heading into a season-ending series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Though Arizona has clinched the NL West title, the Diamondbacks remain a game behind Milwaukee in an attempt to gain home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Carlos Beltran and Andres Torres homered in the sixth for the Giants, who have lost five of six including four straight.

``It was embarrassing,' Bochy said. ``Matt (Cain) threw a great game (Friday) and it could have gone either way. But the last two, we were ugly. There is no getting around it. That is not the way we want to finish up.'

The Diamondbacks took a 2-0 lead against Lincecum in the first. Hill drew a one-out walk and went to second when Upton was hit in the helmet. Both scored when Montero followed with a double into the right-center field gap.

Paul Goldschmidt led off the fourth with a double to right and Cowgill made it 3-0 with a one-out double to right field.

Hill drove in Gerardo Parra on a ground-rule double in the fifth and scored on a ground out for a 5-0 lead.

Notes: Giants C Chris Stewart was shaken up when a Lincecum pitch bounced up and hit him on the left cheek in the fifth. Stewart finished the inning, but gave way to Hector Sanchez in the top of the seventh. ... Bruce Bochy was ejected by second base umpire Gary Darling in the bottom of the fifth for arguing after Parra stole second. Stewart's throw to Jeff Keppinger easily beat the runner, but Darling ruled the second baseman had missed the tag. Replays were inconclusive. ... The Diamondbacks went over 2,000,000 in attendance. Sunday's crowd was announced at 41,423, raising the total for the three-game series to 132,925 and the season to 2,010,340.