NEW YORK -- The Giants' results during their first time through National League West competition didn't surprise manager Bruce Bochy.
Entering Friday, San Francisco and Los Angeles formed the only two-way tie atop the standings in any of the Major League's six divisions. Only two games separated fourth-place Colorado from the West co-leaders. The Oakland A's were the only fourth-place club saddled with a smaller deficit (1 1/2 games).
Bochy said he expects the division standings to remain bunched all season.
"It's going to be a division that beats up on each other," he said. "Nothing's changed. It's going to be a very, very balanced division all year."
The Giants will stay busy with intradivision skirmishes in May by playing 17 games against Colorado, San Diego and Arizona during the month.
• Giants president Larry Baer will participate in a Saturday tribute to the life of Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin, who died Jan. 11. Irvin, one of baseball's African-American pioneers, excelled for the Giants from 1949-55. Baer will be among several speakers at the event, which will be held at the Performing Arts Center in South Orange, N.J. An established player by 1951, Irvin served as Willie Mays' mentor when the future superstar was summoned to the then-New York Giants as a rookie that year.
• Right-handers Sergio Romo and George Kontos, recovering from elbow injuries, threw on flat ground at Citi Field. Neither one is believed to be close to leaving the disabled list.
• Brandon Belt, Matt Duffy and Hunter Pence made history by each recording a triple among their three hits apiece in the Giants' 13-9 victory Wednesday over San Diego. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last trio of Giants to accomplish this offensive combination consisted of Hall of Famers Travis Jackson, Freddie Lindstrom and Edd Roush on June 15, 1929, at Pittsburgh.