Giants overcome loss of Posey to top Diamondbacks
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants took advantage of pitcher Matt Moore's swinging bunt to score three runs in a bizarre sequence Monday that led directly to a 4-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the home opener at AT&T Park.
Moore teamed with new closer Mark Melancon to cool the hot-hitting Diamondbacks, who had begun the series with a five-game winning streak while leading the major leagues in several offensive categories, including runs (48).
The Giants won despite losing star catcher Buster Posey in the first inning. The former National League Most Valuable Player was hit in the head by a Taijuan Walker fastball. He exited the game despite getting to his feet within a couple of minutes and never losing consciousness.
The teams had battled to a scoreless tie until Brandon Crawford led off the Giants' fourth inning with a double.
After an out and two walks, Moore came to the plate with the bases loaded and fouled off a safety-squeeze bunt attempt.
The left-handed-swinging Moore then took a full cut at the next pitch, but the ball went no farther than the average bunt, about 30 feet between the mound and first base.
Walker got to the ball quickly, but in his haste to force Crawford at the plate, he first bobbled the ball and then threw it low and wide of catcher Jeff Mathis, allowing the first run to score.
Mathis chased the ball to the backstop and threw back to Walker in a bid to get Joe Panik, who also was attempting to score. Mathis' throw got away from Walker, allowing not only Panik to score but also Jarrett Parker, who had begun the play at first base.
Walker and Mathis were both credited with errors on the play, the only errors of the game by either team.
The Diamondbacks (6-2) closed within 3-1 on a solo home run by Yasmany Tomas leading off the fifth, but that was the extent of the damage against Moore (1-1), who allowed only three hits in eight innings. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Melancon, who blew a save in his Giants' debut at Arizona on Opening Night, posted his second save with a scoreless ninth that included a leadoff double by Chris Owings off the glove of San Francisco third baseman Eduardo Nunez.
The Giants (3-5) added an insurance run off Diamondbacks reliever Randall Delgado in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Crawford. Hunter Pence, who had led off the inning with a double, scored on the play.
Walker (1-1), who had beaten the Giants last week, took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out two.
Pence had two of the Giants' six hits.
Mathis doubled for the Diamondbacks, who had totaled 77 hits in their first seven games.
NOTES: The fastball that hit Giants C Buster Posey clocked in at 94 mph. ... Taijuan Walker hit 17 batters while pitching for the Seattle Mariners the past two seasons, tying him for sixth most in the American League. ... Giants LHP Matt Moore had batted only three previous times in his career with the bases loaded. He'd struck out twice and gone 0-for-3 in those situations. ... Diamondbacks LF Yasmany Tomas didn't hit his first home run last season until Arizona's 10th game. He went onto hit a career-best 31. ... The Giants improved to 14-4 in home openers in the 18-year history of AT&T Park. ... The Diamondbacks were attempting to become the first club in franchise history to open a season 7-1.