Game #1: San Francisco Giants @ Milwaukee Brewers (04/04/2016)
Over the course of the past off-season, the San Francisco Giants' front office made a number of aggressive free-agency moves in an effort to help propel their franchise to yet another World Series Championship in 2016.
Among their key winter acquisitions were names such as starting pitchers Johnny Cueto (formerly a member of the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals) and Jeff Samardzija, as well as veteran outfielder Denard Span.
While neither starting pitcher was called upon to toe the rubber for the black and orange on Opening Day, center fielder Denard Span was quick to make his impact, cashing in with 5 RBIs in perhaps the most impressive performance of the afternoon.
11:00 A.M. Pacific Standard Time.
Set to toe the rubber in this head-to-head Opening Day match-up were starting pitchers Wily Peralta and Madison Bumgarner, for Milwaukee and San Francisco squads respectively (a bit of a mismatch, indeed).
In the first inning, it seemed as though the Giants' confidence may betray them, as Peralta steam-rolled his way through a "1-2-3" inning, and the influenza-stricken Bumgarner struggled mightily, allowing a lead-off single, three walks, and an early go-ahead strike.
However, Bumgarner kept his composure, inducing an Aaron Hill "6-4-3" double play ball, and the Giants escaped the first inning only trailing by the score of 1-0.
By the time the second inning rolled around, the Giants had found their offensive footing.
After Hunter Pence reached base on an untimely error, and Brandon Belt secured a double, Matt Duffy stepped to the plate with an opportunity to deliver the first San Francisco RBIs of 2016.
And deliver he did. With Duffy's shot into left field, both Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt came charging home, and the Giants had broken through in Wisconsin, now leading the Brewers by the score of 2-1.
Nevertheless, a momentary lapse of Madison Bumgarner's concentration would cost San Francisco the go-ahead run in the bottom half of the inning, as Scooter Gennett blasted one out of the yard to even the score at 2 apiece (Bumgarner would proceed to strike out the following three batters consecutively).
And so it went, back and forth: RBIs by Denard Span and Brandon Belt would propel the Giants to a 4-2 advantage in the top of the third -- this surge was immediately countered by a Jonathan Villar home run in the bottom of the third.
After a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth inning, the Giants entered the bottom of the fourth with a slim 5-3 lead intact.
And they would never look back.
With Wily Peralta no longer atop the mound for the Brewers, Madison Bumgarner had finally found his rhythm. In the fourth and fifth innings, he allowed only two base-runners and recorded three more strikeouts.
Ultimately, Bumgarner would be chased from the game due to high pitch-count, though his valiant effort would earn him a line of: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, and 6 Ks on 101 pitches thrown.
The Giants' bullpen would have to perform solidly for them to wrap-up this victory -- and, indeed, they were marvelous in the season debut.
Courtesy of four solid innings from the likes of George Kontos, Cory Gearrin, Hunter Strickland, and Josh Osich, San Francisco's offense was free to reign.
In the fifth inning, Matt Duffy's blast (his third and fourth RBIs of the day) would increase the Giants' lead to 7-3, and in the eighth, San Francisco would finally put the game hopelessly out of reach.
A six-hit inning, perpetuated by three consecutive home runs from Denard Span, Joe Panik, and Buster Posey, would skyrocket San Francisco's lead to 12-3, erasing any sort of doubt regarding the contest's final outcome.
It was the first time in their illustrious franchise history that the Giants had mustered three consecutive home runs on Opening Day.
FINAL SCORE: Giants 12, Brewers 3.
Among their key winter acquisitions were names such as starting pitchers Johnny Cueto (formerly a member of the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals) and Jeff Samardzija, as well as veteran outfielder Denard Span.
While neither starting pitcher was called upon to toe the rubber for the black and orange on Opening Day, center fielder Denard Span was quick to make his impact, cashing in with 5 RBIs in perhaps the most impressive performance of the afternoon.
11:00 A.M. Pacific Standard Time.
Set to toe the rubber in this head-to-head Opening Day match-up were starting pitchers Wily Peralta and Madison Bumgarner, for Milwaukee and San Francisco squads respectively (a bit of a mismatch, indeed).
In the first inning, it seemed as though the Giants' confidence may betray them, as Peralta steam-rolled his way through a "1-2-3" inning, and the influenza-stricken Bumgarner struggled mightily, allowing a lead-off single, three walks, and an early go-ahead strike.
However, Bumgarner kept his composure, inducing an Aaron Hill "6-4-3" double play ball, and the Giants escaped the first inning only trailing by the score of 1-0.
By the time the second inning rolled around, the Giants had found their offensive footing.
After Hunter Pence reached base on an untimely error, and Brandon Belt secured a double, Matt Duffy stepped to the plate with an opportunity to deliver the first San Francisco RBIs of 2016.
And deliver he did. With Duffy's shot into left field, both Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt came charging home, and the Giants had broken through in Wisconsin, now leading the Brewers by the score of 2-1.
Nevertheless, a momentary lapse of Madison Bumgarner's concentration would cost San Francisco the go-ahead run in the bottom half of the inning, as Scooter Gennett blasted one out of the yard to even the score at 2 apiece (Bumgarner would proceed to strike out the following three batters consecutively).
And so it went, back and forth: RBIs by Denard Span and Brandon Belt would propel the Giants to a 4-2 advantage in the top of the third -- this surge was immediately countered by a Jonathan Villar home run in the bottom of the third.
After a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth inning, the Giants entered the bottom of the fourth with a slim 5-3 lead intact.
And they would never look back.
With Wily Peralta no longer atop the mound for the Brewers, Madison Bumgarner had finally found his rhythm. In the fourth and fifth innings, he allowed only two base-runners and recorded three more strikeouts.
Ultimately, Bumgarner would be chased from the game due to high pitch-count, though his valiant effort would earn him a line of: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, and 6 Ks on 101 pitches thrown.
The Giants' bullpen would have to perform solidly for them to wrap-up this victory -- and, indeed, they were marvelous in the season debut.
Courtesy of four solid innings from the likes of George Kontos, Cory Gearrin, Hunter Strickland, and Josh Osich, San Francisco's offense was free to reign.
In the fifth inning, Matt Duffy's blast (his third and fourth RBIs of the day) would increase the Giants' lead to 7-3, and in the eighth, San Francisco would finally put the game hopelessly out of reach.
A six-hit inning, perpetuated by three consecutive home runs from Denard Span, Joe Panik, and Buster Posey, would skyrocket San Francisco's lead to 12-3, erasing any sort of doubt regarding the contest's final outcome.
It was the first time in their illustrious franchise history that the Giants had mustered three consecutive home runs on Opening Day.
FINAL SCORE: Giants 12, Brewers 3.
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