The first week of the 2015 baseball season for the San Francisco Giants had ups and downs.
The Giants started off winning three out of the first four games, but lost three-straight games after that in San Diego. Still, the Giants had some positives in the first week of the season.
Here are the top 5 Giants moments of the week.
1. Justin Maxwell's 12th-Inning RBI-Single Against Padres Breaks Scoreless Tie
Both the Giants and the San Diego Padres had ample chances to score in a heated 12-inning marathon in Game 1 of the series Thursday evening. But neither team took advantage of them. In the 12th inning, the game was still tied at 0. A Giants newcomer singled to center to bring in Brandon Crawford--who had a fabulous game defensively--to break the scoreless tie. Giants went on to win in 12 innings 1-0.
2. Gumgate
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Baseball players and bubble gum are not typically a source of controversy. But that was before "Gumgate" during Thursday evening's 12-inning game. Padres catcher Derek Norris accused Giants outfielder Angel Pagan of intentionally tossing a piece of dirty old gum his way during the Padres' home opener. Pagan ended up hitting a triple later in the at-bat.
3. Chris Heston Saves the Day!
The Giants were in desperate need of a starting pitcher after Matt Cain and Jake Peavy couldn't make their first starts due to injury. To make matters worse, Ryan Vogelsong, who filled in for Peavy, got shelled by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, a rookie saved the day. After mowing down the Los Angeles Dodgers in spring training, young Heston impressed in his second major league start, filling in for Matt Cain. He earned his first big-league win, as the Giants beat the D-backs 5-2.
4. Tim Lincecum Returns to Form
Whether or not he owns the Padres, Lincecum had a fabulous outing Friday night in San Diego. He pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball, giving up just 4 hits while striking out five batters. Although the Giants lost the game 1-0, they had to be encouraged from what they saw from their former ace.
5. Madison Bumgarner Strong on Opening Night
After Bumgarner's legendary postseason performance, he backed it up on Opening Night in Arizona with a fabulous start. He threw seven strong innings, giving up one run, striking out three and walking just one. Although his next start in San Diego wasn't so good, he should bounce back.
Emily Bockian contributed to this report.
Follow Vince on Twitter @Vince_Cestone.
