Mariners spoil Giants’ home opener
Early four-run outburst pushes Seattle to 6-4 win despite Panik’s third homer of early season
SAN FRANCISCO — Bruce Bochy just went for it and pegged Joe Panik as a 60-home run guy. Joking, of course, but the second baseman is on quite a pace.
His latest solo home run wasn’t enough against Seattle.
Mitch Haniger hit a two-run single, Kyle Seager also singled in a run in a big first inning and the Mariners spoiled the Giants’ home opener with a 6-4 win Tuesday.
Panik went deep in the fourth, his third solo drive of the season. At that point, he had accounted for all three of San Francisco’s runs for the season with those shots.
At this rate, the Giants might need him to hit 60 just to stay competitive.
“All I can do is laugh about that one,” Panik said of Bochy’s bold prediction.
Marco Gonzales (1-0) allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Mariners.
Evan Longoria added a two-run shot for the Giants, the first hit with his new team after an 0-for-17 start.
San Francisco became the first team in major league history to score its first three runs of the year on solo homers by the same player, according to Elias. It was Panik’s first homer at AT&T Park since Aug. 28, 2016 — all 10 of his came on the road in 2017.
The Mariners answered right back in the fifth, getting Robinson Cano’s RBI double and a sacrifice fly from Guillermo Heredia.
“The credit goes to our offence today,” Gonzales said. “The four runs in the first, couldn’t ask for a bigger boost of confidence honestly, and the way they played in the field, it was a huge team win all the way around.”
Austin Jackson added a sacrifice fly in his home debut for the Giants, while new right fielder Andrew McCutchen made a snazzy diving catch in the ninth.
Ty Blach (1-1), filling in for injured ace Madison Bumgarner, was done after 4 1/3 innings having allowed 10 hits and six runs.
Seattle jumped on the lefty immediately, with the first three batters reaching base without the ball leaving the infield: An infield single by Dee Gordon, bunt base hit for Jean Segura and a walk to Cano before Haniger delivered.
Edwin Diaz finished for his third save.
The Giants had been 1 for 28 with runners in scoring position in their season-opening split of a four-game road series against the Dodgers. San Francisco’s two runs in the initial four contests were its fewest in franchise history.
“We haven’t clicked yet, but we will,” Bochy said.
The crowd of 40,901 marked the lowest for a Giants home opener in the 19-year-old ballpark’s history.
Ex-San Francisco closer Brian Wilson threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The club remembered the late San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, who died suddenly in December.
Baker Is Back
Dusty Baker, back with the Giants in an advisory role after managing
the team to the 2002 World Series, walked on to the field and shared a warm embrace with CEO Larry Baer before making the rounds behind the dugout. Baker was fired as Washington’s manager this off-season.
“I’m liking it but it’s a little strange,” Baker said of the new gig. “I didn’t think I’d have another opener. On the whole, things worked out. Here I am opening with the Giants seeing a lot of old friends, even old friends on the other team, like (Seattle manager) Scott Servais played for me here with the Giants.”