SAN FRANCISCO — On a day that started with a fire at AT&T Park and the team’s most important player getting knocked out in the first inning, the Giants managed to walk away with a positive.
Matt Moore was dominant through eight and a strange rally in the third provided the needed offense as the Giants edged the Diamondbacks 4-1. The win came with a cost, as catcher Buster Posey was taken out of the first inning of the home opener after getting hit by a 94 mph fastball. The Giants expected to have an update on Posey after the game.
Pitching at AT&T Park for the first time since Game 4 of the NLDS, Moore got off to a hot start. He allowed just one Diamondback to reach base through four. When Yasmany Tomas hit a solo homer in the fifth, it simply cut into a lead that came on one of the strangest bases-loaded plays you’ll ever see.
With the bags full and one out in the bottom of the fourth, Moore tried to put down a bunt. It went foul, but he got the job done after he was told to swing away. Moore poked what amounted to a swinging bunt down the first base line and Taijuan Walker made the poor decision to try and get Brandon Crawford out at the plate. The throw shot back to the backstop, and Joe Panik raced home. When Jeff Mathis’ throw back to the plate also got away, Jarrett Parker made the final leg of his journey from first. Moore ended up smiling goofily on second, three runs having scored on a ball that went 40 feet.
The left-hander cruised into the late afternoon, getting through eight innings before turning it over to Mark Melancon. This time, the bullpen was able to lock up his win.
Starting pitching report: Moore’s last two starts at AT&T Park: 16 innings, 5 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 15 strikeouts.
Bullpen report: Melancon picked up his second save in as many days after going a week without pitching.
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At the plate: Moore got an RBI on the bizarre swinging bunt. It was his first since 2012, and just the second of his career. It’s the opinion of this writer that he’ll be a pretty serviceable hitter over time. He’s getting better and better in BP.
In the field: Crawford barehanded a slow roller to nail Chris Owings in the sixth and nobody even really noticed. That’s how high the bar has been set.
Attendance: A sellout crowd booed the hell out of Walker but gave lengthy ovations to Javier Lopez and Barry Bonds, who were honored during mid-inning breaks.
Up next: Jeff Samardzija will try to make it a three-game winning streak. The Diamondbacks line up behind Robbie Ray.
