(AP) — Banished to the bullpen and absent from the mound since the regular season, Tim Lincecum returned Wednesday night with the Giants trailing the Royals by five runs in the seventh inning. After retiring five straight batters during San Francisco's 7-2 loss in Game 2 of the World Series, Lincecum left in the middle of Salvador Perez's eighth-inning at-bat due to tightness in his lower left back. Sent to the bullpen, he pitched 4 2-3 scoreless innings in 2012 during San Francisco's sweep of Detroit. Lincecum pitched his second career no-hitter against San Diego on June 25 but struggled after the All-Star break and was dropped from the rotation in late August.