Jays' Stroman goes from the mound to graduation ceremony

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Given a choice, Marcus Stroman would have preferred to stay in school instead of signing a professional baseball contract following his junior year at Duke University in 2012.

Following the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4, 13-inning loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, Stroman left the team to join a graduation ceremony at Duke this weekend, where he will receive his degree in sociology.

Brandon Belt was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Denard Span's bunt attempt was mishandled at second.

Michael Saunders, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh, led off the ninth with a home run to straightaway center.

The Blue Jays scored a pair of runs in the eighth against Cory Gearrin on Martin's sacrifice fly and Smoak's pinch hit single.

Blue Jays: LHP Aaron Loup (left elbow) threw an inning, about 10 pitches, during an extended spring training game on Tuesday.