SAN FRANCISCO- The 2017 Giants appear to be emerging from their early-season doldrums, but even a convincing win in their first game at AT&T Park was a mixed bag.
Taijuan Walker’s unintentional beaning of Buster Posey marred an otherwise stellar home opener for the Giants, who received an excellent outing and a very fortunate swing of the bat from starting pitcher Matt Moore in a 4-1 victory over the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks.
Posey was forced to leave the game in the very first inning when Walker’s 0-1 fastball careened inside and struck the Giants’ All-Star catcher directly on the helmet with a crack that echoed through the ballpark. After a brief examination form the training staff, Posey walked off the field and into the clubhouse for a better look.
Manager Bruce Bochy avoided specifics when discussing Posey after the game.
“He’s doing good, he’s doing fine,” Bochy said. “He’ll go home and we’ll evaluate him tomorrow.”
It was a stunning start to the home schedule, but Posey’s teammates did not wilt.
Moore (1-1) worked eight sharp innings on the mound in earning his first win of the season. But the loudest cheers from the 42,129 in attendance came in the bottom of the fourth, when Moore uncorked a swinging bunt with the bases loaded that somehow plated all three runs despite the ball never traveling further than 40 feet from home plate.
Walker’s initial throw home sailed under the glove of catcher Jeff Mathis and to the backstop as Brandon Crawford slid home safely. Mathis then threw low to the covering Walker as Joe Panik raced around to score. With Arizona’s infield chasing after the loose ball, new third base coach Phil Nevin never stopped waving his arm and Jarrett Parker’s headfirst slide into the plate completed the wackiest play of the young season.
How to clear the bases – without clearing the infield. pic.twitter.com/jY4xwKPXoH
— MLB (@MLB) April 10, 2017
Fortunately for the Giants, Moore’s day on the rubber was less eventful. Embarking on his first full campaign in orange and black, the southpaw picked up where he left in his dominant NLDS home start against the Cubs by allowing just one run on three hits and striking out five. After walking two in his first start of the year against the same Diamondbacks lineup, Moore did not issue a free pass on Monday, which allowed him to cruise through the afternoon and avoid troublesome innings.
“It was kind of nice to have some of those quick innings on my side,” Moore acknowledged. “It’s not something I’m particularly known for but to get those quicker innings, it’s nice for the outfielders, the infielders and everybody to [get] in and out and put the pressure back on [Arizona].”
The Giants were left to wonder what could have been a season ago when new closer Mark Melancon entered and locked down Moore’s victory with a relatively quiet ninth inning.
There were several encouraging signs from the bats, as well. Parker walked to set up Moore’s little league double and later snapped an 0-for-13 skid with an infield single. Hunter Pence added a pair of hits including a double and Brandon Crawford drove in a crucial add-on run with a seventh inning sac fly.
While the mood was dampened by the uncertainty surrounding their former National League MVP, the Giants managed to win back-to-back games for the first time in 2017 and can now set their sights on winning their first series of the season behind Jeff Samardzija on Tuesday. The right-hander will oppose Arizona’s 25-year old lefty Robbie Ray in a 7:15 pm PT start at 3rd and King.
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