SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he wouldn't have minded if Sergio Romo had thrown four more pitches for Mexico on Thursday night in the World Baseball Classic.

The Giants' closer threw 26 pitches against Italy. WBC rules say anyone who throws 30 pitches or more in an outing must be given at least one day of rest. So Romo was eligible to pitch Friday night against Team USA.

That left the Giants open to the concern that comes with releasing their pitchers into competitive situations this early in spring.

Bochy called Romo on Friday and asked that he be honest with Mexico's staff about how his arm felt after playing catch.

Bochy said the Giants would not hesitate to contact Mexico's staff if Romo told the Giants his arm didn't feel right.

"You don't know if they're going to be 100 percent honest with you. That's why we checked in with him and talked to him and told him the importance of being honest," Bochy said. "You've got a guy's career here if he doesn't feel right. He said he would."

Romo was charged with a blown save in Mexico's 6-5 loss Thursday after Italy scored two runs off him in the top of the ninth.

"His pride's been hurt a little," Bochy said.

But Romo told him before playing catch Friday that his arm felt fine.

"We're hyper-vigilant on these guys being ready," Bochy said. "You go game speed in this WBC. So he was ready to go back-to-back games. He's probably going to do that this year.

"You don't like to see it, obviously, and there is some concern the next day. That's why he's got to be honest where he's at."

Hail-out - The third weather delay was the charm Friday as the Giants' game against the Dodgers was called in the top of the second because of rain with Los Angeles leading 4-0.

The teams already had waited through a delay of 30 minutes before the first pitch and 26 minutes in the bottom of the first.

Giants starter Barry Zito warmed up before the first delay and had to return to the bullpen to warm up again, throwing 15 to 20 pitches, he said.

Zito then threw 24 pitches in a rocky first inning and finished his day by returning to the bullpen for about 40 more pitches.

Zito allowed three runs on four hits to the Dodgers but said the back-and-forth wasn't to blame.

"I was just missing out over the plate a little bit on most of those hits," he said. "It was all kind of small misses, not a lot of huge misses. They capitalized."

In the bottom of the first, Hunter Pence ripped a double to left. Shortly after he reached second base, it began to hail at Scottsdale Stadium. Pence didn't seem to want to leave the base, but Buster Posey, who was in the batter's box, turned abruptly for the Giants' dugout.

"The umpires weren't leaving, either," Bochy said. "Buster's the one who walked off and said, 'I'm done.' "

Lincecum update - Bochy said Tim Lincecum will throw in a simulated game Saturday, rather than pitch in the Giants' exhibition against the Kansas City Royals, so the team can "control his pitches and everything."

Lincecum, scratched from his past two outings because of a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, likely will pitch in Tuesday night's game against the Padres, Bochy said.

Et cetera - Reliever Javier Lopez (bruised hand) was scheduled to pitch Friday for the first time this spring. Lopez will be on Saturday's pitching list, Bochy said.

• Catcher Hector Sanchez (calf) has been cleared to play and may be in the lineup Sunday.

• Outfielder Andres Torres (abdominal strain) is taking swings from both sides of the plate and could return Sunday or Monday.

• The Giants assigned catcher Andrew Susac, who starred at Jesuit High School, to their minor-league camp.

Also sent down were right-handers Fabio Castillo, Edward Concepcion, Justin Fitzgerald and Jose Valez; left-hander Josh Osich; and infielder Joe Panik.

First baseman Angel Villalona, who is on the 40-man roster, was optioned to the High-A San Jose roster.

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