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Investigators: A's, Giants Rivalry Played No Role In Attack That Knocked Out Woman Near AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- A woman who was knocked unconscious during a fight outside AT&T Park following Thursday's game between the Giants and A's was released from the hospital on Friday morning. Meanwhile, investigators and a witness said the rivalry between the two Bay Area teams had nothing to do with the attack.

Several fistfights broke out hours after the Oakland A's defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-1, taking three out of four games in the Bay Bridge Series.

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Police and eyewitnesses on scene blamed the fights on too much drinking.

"People walking around, slurring, stumbling and stuff like that," said eyewitness Cory White, who is also a production director at Al Jazeera America.

White said the worst was a brawl between two groups of baseball fans. He called police.

"Verbal confrontation escalated to physical blows. Shoving and punching, that kind of thing, mostly between the guys," he said.

One woman who was sitting on the sidewalk received the worst of it.

"She stood up and the guy, the largest of all of them, clocked her right in the head. And it was just one single punch, she fell down on the sidewalk out cold," White said.

Witnesses saw two men get away in a gold Toyota Tundra pickup. Police traced the truck's license plate to Sacramento.

"Sacramento police were able to take one of the suspects into custody without further incident," said San Francisco Police spokesperson Officer Albie Esparza.

Francisco Lopez, 31, is now in the San Francisco County Jail, accused of punching the woman.

"One count of assault with a deadly weapon, also conspiracy charges," Esparza said.

Police on the scene after Thursday's attack said the Battle of the Bay rivalry between the Giants and A's triggered the fight, but investigators now believe it was a random attack.

"They all had A's jerseys or shirts on," White said. "Yes, absolutely, it was kind of weird."

Thursday's assault follows other violent incidents outside AT&T Park in recent years. Last year, 24-year-old Jonathan Denver was stabbed to death in a fight between Dodgers and Giants fans. One man was arrested, but claimed it was self-defense. He was released and no charges were filed.

In 2008, 18-year-old Anthony Giraudo was killed in an attack outside the ballpark. Giraudo's attacker admitted to sucker punching him from behind and hitting him right in the temple. He served eight months in prison.

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