Category: San Francisco Giants

Samardzija Does It All In Giants’ Win

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By Ben Leonard

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AP Photo: San Francisco Giant catcher Buster Posey swings for a single off of Miami Marlins pitcher Jarred Cosart in the first inning on Friday night
SAN FRANCISCO — Baseball’s home run king Barry Bonds was at the yard Friday, and it seemed to help the slumping Giants’ hitters — and pitcher — get their mojo back, helping the Giants end a five game losing streak with a 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins. Starter Jeff Samardzija outscored the Marlins by himself, knocking in three runs while going 7.2 innings of dominant one-run ball.

Now the Marlins’ hitting coach, Bonds returned to AT&T Park’s dugout for the first time since he played his final game for the Giants in 2007. As he anticipated before the game, he was given a standing ovation for the ages while exchanging lineup cards, with the crowd chanting “Ba-rry, Ba-rry.” Just like in old times, Bonds tapped his chest, pointed to the sky, and tipped his hat to the crowd of 41,670 by McCovey Cove, repeating that in the middle the third when the crowd asked for a curtain call.

Perhaps it was because Bonds seemed to be the good luck charm for the Giants’ offense — his return corresponded with its resurgence. Coincidence? That’s for you to decide. But there was no denying that three quick runs in the first inning took some pressure off the pressing Giants’ lineup, which went on to put up 14 hits. Marlins’ starter Jarred Cosart struggled to command his fastball in the first inning, and the Giants made him pay, stringing together three hits, including a Brandon Belt RBI single, and two walks to put up that early three spot.

“I don’t think it hurts to get up there and score first, just to let the pitcher relax and do his job and also let the offense relax a little bit and go up there and have good plate appearances,” Belt said. If we go up there and do that, I think we have a good chance to score a lot of runs.”

It helped Samardzija settle in, both at the plate and on the mound, in his debut at AT&T Park. “Those first three runs were great,” Samardzija said. “Being patient at the plate allowed me to be comfortable and nice and relaxed out there.”

Samardzija retired the first eight hitters he faced until Cosart laced a single, and shut down the Marlins, with the exception of outfielder Christian Yelich, who went 3 for 4 with three doubles. He scattered six hits and struck out give while going 2 for 4 with three RBI’s, including a two-RBI double that broke open the game in the sixth.

“He got the delivery straightened, he was in a good rhythm out there,” Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy said Friday. “He was fighitng that a little bit in spring training, but that’s why we have spring training. He’s got great stuff, and in the last inning he was still throwing hard, 94, 95 up there…He’s a strong kid, the type of guy that you can ride out there.” Yeah, and at the plate too.

Down 6-1 lead and runners on second and third, Marlins’ fill-in manager Tim Wallach (Don Mattingly was ejected in the fourth) opted to intentionally walk Brandon Crawford to load the bases. Usually a smart move, with a National League pitcher up next. But Samardzija made Wallach pay, turning on an inside fastball and ripping a line drive into left field, plating two runs, becoming  the Giants first pitcher with three RBI’s since Mike Leake did it in 2015. That came after Samardzija had help start a three-run rally in the fifth with an line drive RBI single to right. Not too shabby.

His teammates knew the former standout wide receiver at Notre Dame had it in him, but the lovably self-deprecating “Shark” didn’t think so.

“You get lucky up there every so often as a pitcher,” Samardzija said. “Close your eyes, swing hard, and you might hit it…I consider myself a great five o’clock hitter, but come seven o’clock, that ball is 94, 95, and is a little tougher.”

Belt thought otherwise. “I’ve seen it in BP,” Belt said. “I’ve seen the power, it’s there. He might rival Bumgarner when it comes to power, it was just a matter of getting in the game and putting the ball in play. He did that tonight and it was pretty cool to see him get those three RBI’s.”

As for the pitching side of things, because you know, that’s what he’s paid to do, Samardzija felt satisfied with his debut in front of the home crowd. He walked off the field with two outs in the eighth to a standing ovation, something he relished.

“It feels good,” Samardzija said. “It’s a very educated fan base with high standards, so you want to live up to those standards. You come play in a park like this with the history they have here, you want to prove your worth and prove you belong with this team, and hopefully they saw some things they liked….It was an electric atmosphere and I look forward to doing it again.”

The Giants signed Samardzija to a five year, $90 million contract this offseason with the expectation that his stuff would play up at AT&T Park. It’s early, but so far, that seems to be true.

“I think it plays well anywhere when you have that kind of velocity and command, and four pitches that you can work with,” Bochy said. “This is a nice park to work in, but he has really good stuff. With his stuff, it doesn’t matter what park he pitches in.”

NOTES:

In a flurry of roster moves Friday, the Giants recalled infielder Connor Gillespie from Triple-A Sacramento…Bochy: “He gives us an experienced left-handed bat off the bench, playing a little third and maybe some first”….Mac Williamson was sent back down in a corresponding move…”He just wasn’t getting playing time,” Bochy said. “It was just too tough of a role to try to pinch hit, mostly off closers. Like we talked about this spring, he needs to play every day and get his four at-bats, so we went ahead and made the change”…..Ehire Adrianza was moved to the 60-day disabled list….

 

“Nicer” Barry Bonds Returns to San Francisco Committed to Coaching

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By Ben Leonard

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AP photo: Miami Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds signs for the fans before the Marlins and San Francisco Giants game at AT&T Park on Friday night

SAN FRANCISCO — When you think of Barry Bonds’ tenure in San Francisco, “nice” is usually the last thing that comes to mind, just after weak and pleasant. Baseball’s all-time home run king returned to San Francisco for the first time in the dugout after 14 seasons with the Giants as the Marlins’ hitting coach and was all smiles in his press scrum.

Visibily slimmer in his new uniform, basking more good press than he had gotten in his entire life, Bonds said he wished he had been like this “a long time ago.” Speaking for the pack, one reporter quipped, “Done what, be nice?”

Bonds certainly appreciated how much nicer the press was, up until then, and arrived to the ballpark on his Uber ride a somewhat changed man. Sure, nothing will scrub BALCO, the perjury trial, and the ever-looming Hall of Fame debate from his record, but a beaming Bonds enjoyed his time back at 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

The most difficult part for Bonds was adjusting to the visitors’ clubhouse — Bonds had only been in twice, once to see former Giant Matt Williams and once to see Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland — so he was “kind of lost” in the locker room. But weird wasn’t a word Bonds would use to describe his return to The City by the Bay:

“I feel grateful here,” Bonds said. “This is the place where I started my whole entire life. My Little League, this whole town – I don’t really feel weird. I take my job serious and I’m very serious about being a good hitting coach over here for the Miami Marlins.”

Coming back to San Francisco certainly holds some personal significance for Bonds, however. Initially, playing in San Francisco was a “childhood dream” for Bonds: I wanted to be with Willie mays and my dad (Bobby Bonds) in the outfield,” Bonds said. “I had the opportunity and I got to play left field, so I got to play against the ghosts of my idols for my entire life. There’s no better story for me right now here in San Francisco. I don’t really have fans in san francisco — this is my family. This is where I was raised, where I grew up. These are the people that stood behind me through thick and thin, and I will always appreciate that and have my love for San Francisco.”

Bonds has taken over the reigns of a very young but talented Miami lineup, one that features one of the game’s most fearsome sluggers, outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. So far, the results haven’t quite come — Miami is just 22nd in runs scored — but Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly has been impressed by his new hitting coach.

“I thought he did a really good job in spring training of not being overbearing, allowing guys to work, and building relationships before coming in here and telling guys what they’re doing,” Mattingly said. “It’s probably an adjustment for Barry — guys can’t do what he can do — you got to take their swing and work it in, and i think he’s done a nice job of that.”

Bonds is optimistic that his offense can turn it around. “They’re young,” Bonds said. “You’re talking 22, 25, 24. I was at that age. I know how difficult it is. I know how you’re searching to find your way and they’re going through that now. But they do have a good offensive team, and if they stay together, I think they have a promising team.”

Earlier in the spring, there were reports that Bonds had won a home run derby of sorts with Stanton and outfielder Christian Yelich, but those were shot down. It was just a 3 x 3 hitting drill, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported. Still, after playing for 22 seasons in the big leagues, the hardest thing at first for Bonds, arguably the greatest hitter of all time, was to sit back and just be a coach.

“It first, in Spring Training, it was the emotions,” Bonds said. “I’m used to being on the field, and being in the dugout biting my lip and was saying, ‘ugh I wish I could do that.’ Then you have to take a step back and realize that your job is different now — you’re not a player and you have to be a coach.”

Another tough adjustment for Bonds was waking up so early to watch hitters’ film — in Spring Training, he had to get up as early as six o’clock in the morning to get to work. Now, when it’s “not as intense as Spring Training,” Bonds feels “good.”

Bonds respects one man who has been on the grind as a major league coach far longer than him — Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy. Bonds only played for Bochy for one season, his last in San Francisco, leaving Bonds wishing that was more.

“I wish I got to play with him a little longer, but I knew him as a manger of other teams,” Bonds said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how good of manager you have when you watch him, how he prepares his guys and what he does, and with situations that come up and how he manages them. We knew when I was in San Francisco that we had a good manager.”

Bonds is expecting a good reception from Giants’ fans in his return to AT&T Park — they mostly backed him throughout the drawn-out chase to pass Hank Aaron on the all-time home run list, and he expects them to continue to do so. “I’m expecting a good reception because this is where I played,” Bonds said. “This is my home. I would hope this city would have great memories.”

 

 

The newly courteous Bonds also wanted to show some courtesy to his new employers, and after a discussion with Giants’ brass, including Larry Baer, opted not to hold a ceremony to induct him to the Giants’ Wall of Fame before Friday’s game.

“He wanted to do something when I came back and we sat down and talked about it and I felt that it wasn’t really the right time,” Bonds said. “It’d be kind of weird. My boss is Jeffrey (Loria) now. I want to respect him, I want to respect the Marlins, and we’re here to play the Giants and put on a good performance… I think it’s just more respectful to the Miami fans and Miami people. If the Giants want to do something with me at a later date and in the right uniform, I think that’s more appropriate.”

 

 

 

MLB podcast with Tony Renteria: Will Bonds coaching against his former club ignite Giants?; A’s getting plenty of help from good pitching

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photo credit talkers.com: MLB logo

On the MLB podcast with Tony Renteria with the San Francisco Giants pitching staff their going to go through spells where their going to get cold. It’s still early, it’s been 17 games, it’s still April. They’re looking forward to the series with the Marlins and you have the return of former Giant Barry Bonds returning. Maybe the return of Bonds might fire up the Giants and they’ll get some pitching and some hitting and win some games.

On the Oakland A’s when players get hot and a series like they had against the Kansas Royals last week can turn a ball club around and they wound up sweeping the New York Yankees. This is a team that has some great bats and they got some great pitching out of Sonny Gray, Rich Hill, Kendall Graveman, Chris Bassitt, and Eric Surkamp.

Listen to the rest of Tony’s MLB commentary click below for the podcast and every week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Who us worry? Giants lose again, get swept, but Bochy preaches patience

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By Morris Phillips

AP photo Marco Jose Sanchez: The Arizona Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt takes a hack for a RBI single in third inning of Thursday’s game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO–When losing gains this type of intensity, philosophical leanings aren’t far behind, and a downcast manager Bruce Bochy was quick to put a hopeful spin on the Giants’ 1-8 slide that has them–at least temporarily–in fourth place in the NL West.

“This was a tough series for us. That’s what it is: one series and come back tomorrow.”

Didn’t say vivid or expansive, just hopeful. Now Bochy’s Giants have to make the next step.

The Giants got some assistance from the visiting Diamondbacks Thursday afternoon, but it was a helping hand, not a comprehensive bailout plan. Shelby Miller couldn’t get past the third inning, walking the first four batters of the frame prompting manager Chip Hale to pull the plug.

But reliever Tyler induced Brandon Belt to hit into a double play on his third pitch after his entering the game and the Giants didn’t threaten again. A 2-2 tie would be as close as the Giants would get in what would become a 6-2 loss.

“I could do a lot of things, I could move the order around, I’ll think on this believe me. That’s what my job is trying to figure out how to get this thing going. whether it’s moving guys up, moving guys around.” said Bochy “it’s too early hopefully to be pressing I don’t think they are. We just have some cold hitters right now. We’re having trouble putting the ball in play. It’s all we need sometimes. It’s a good line up and I still think were going to get this thing clicking.”

The Giants top brass general manager Bobby Evans and team vice president Brian Sabean had a meeting after the game with Bochy analyzing the offense it’s weaknesses and what cures can be made. The Giants with the loss are now 7-10 and fourth in the National League West.

 

 

Giants’ Bats Cold Again As Bumgarner Falls In Pitchers’ Duel Giants lose 2-1

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By Ben Leonard

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AP photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Madison Bumgarner pitches to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning on Wednesday night at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner isn’t usually one to celebrate. The tall, broad-shouldered North Carolinian plays baseball the way Goose Gossage would like it — calm, quiet, and without flair, save for a snot rocket or twenty.

So when the good ‘ole Southern southpaw strutted off the mound after pumping his fist to raucous applause, you know it was something worth celebrating. In a wild west gun show, he had matched D’Backs’ ace Zack Greinke through six, and struck out one of the game’s most fearsome sluggers, Paul Goldschmidt, on a flaring fastball with runners on the corners to end the sixth keep the game scoreless.

The crowd was just waiting to erupt — they hadn’t had reason to all night long. The Giants had put runners in scoring position in three of the first five innings, but went 0 for 7 in those opportunities, not surprising from an ice-cold offense. In spite of that dry spell, it seemed like the Giants were destined to win — they just had to with Bumgarner on the hill, their stopper, who had retired the first eleven hitters he faced and was cruising.

But just after Bumgarner got the crowd going in the sixth, that feeling of destiny faded — he found himself shaking his head just a few batters later. One high fastball on the outer half, a pitch that had worked for him all night long, spelled doom for the Giants, when light-hitting catcher Wellington Castillo launched it into the bleachers to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead, and eventually the 2-1 win, dealing the Giants their seventh loss in eight games. It sucked the life out of AT&T Park, and even surprised Bumgarner, who had been blowing by hitters with his high fastball all game long.

“Yeah, [it surprised me] a little bit,” Bumgarner said. “”I felt pretty good about the pitch I made to Castillo, even though it could have been a little higher….We had been going there for most of the night, and it was working good for us….Maybe it wasn’t just quite high enough. Maybe he made an adjustment, I don’t know. That’s the way the game is — a game of adjustments — and they got me.”

Other than that one pitch, Bumgarner didn’t need to make that many adjustments, yielding just five hits in seven innings, striking out eight.

The same cannot be said for the Giants’ offense, which scuffled once again in high leverage situations, finishing 1 for 11 with RISP, putting them at 3 for their last 30 in those situations. The one hit with ducks on the pond, an Angel Pagan single in the seventh, gave the Giants their first run in nineteen innings.

“We’re in a tough rut, but you’re going to go through this, no matter who you are, you go through them,” Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had a great pitching effort today, but we were just missing timely hits…We had a couple chances early and we couldn’t get a hit. These things, they go in streaks…It’s a tough part of the game, but we’ve got a tough squad and a bunch of tough guys in there — they’ll bounce back. ”

One of those tough guys, Matt Duffy, had a bounce back day at the plate for the second day in a row after scuffling for most of the season. Duffy had been hitting just .196 coming into Wednesday, but was the lone bright spot in the Giants’ lineup, going 2 for 4 with a booming double to the wall and a slick diving catch to rob Chris Owings of a hit.

Other than that, it was tough going for the Giants against Greinke, who help up his end of the pitchers’ duel, going 6.2 strong innings while giving up just one run and striking out seven, frustrating a deep, potent lineup. Despite their struggles, ever-optimistic Giants’ shortstop Brandon Crawford felt that the team has the guys to break out of this slump:

“Everyone’s just kind of slumping at the same time right now,” Crawford said. “With this good of a lineup, you don’t typically see that. It’s something that we’ve dealt with before and I’m sure we’ll get out of it.”

That thought might be enough to get Bumgarner fist pumping once again. Just maybe.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants bats stinging hands not ball; Cain good until the fifth

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AP photo: San Francisco Giants Joe Panik (12) slides ahead of the tag at second base as the Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Jean Sugura puts down the late tag

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca this is the second time pitcher Matt Cain has gone out pitched until the fifth inning only to get beat. On Tuesday night he was sailing along throwing bullets until the Arizona Diamondbacks figured him out and scored for three runs that all stood up for the 3-0 win. Cain had been pitching a no hitter until he got touched up in the fifth. In Cain’s previous outing he was pitching a one hitter until he lost in the fifth.

The Giants hitting has been snake bit since taking three out of four from the Los Angeles Dodgers April 7th through the 10th at AT&T Park once San Francisco went on the road to Colorado and to Los Angeles going 2-4 and losing two out of three in each of those series the club has been in a hit slump or have not been able to enough score runs. The Giants were kept off balance by Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray not to mention former A’s pitcher Tyler Clippard got the save for Arizona his first of the season.

Listen to Michael Duca on the Giants podcast for more of the latest and each week right here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Three straight losses for the Giants

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain who had a no hitter going until the fifth saw the Arizona Diamondbacks pile on for three runs at AT&T Park on Tuesday night

SAN FRANCISCO-After a tough spring training, Matt Cain continues to struggle early during the 2016 season.

Cain looked good early on, as he failed to allow a hit in the first four innings and then the flood gates opened, as Chris Owings led off the top of the fifth inning with a single and then Cain three more hits in the frame that saw the Arizona Diamondbacks score all the runs they would need on their way to a 3-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Jean Segura singled off of Cain to score Owings, then Jake Lamb tripled in Segura and then Paul Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly to score Lamb.

In all, Cain went 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, walking four and struck out two on his way to seeing his record fall to 0-2 on the season.

Robbie Ray was outstanding for the Diamondbacks, as he went six innings, allowing five hits, while walking two and striking out eight.

Prior to the game, the Giants placed George Kontos on the 15-day disabled list with a strained flexor tendon in his right arm and Kontos stint on the disabled list is retroactive to April 18. Chris Heston was optioned to Sacramento, while lefthander Stephen Okert was recalled from Sacramento, as was Michael Broadway.

Okert made his major league debut, as he came on in the top of the eighth inning to replace Hunter Strickland. The lefthander went two innings, allowing a walk to Wellington Castillo and then induced Nick Ahmed to hit into a double play. Okert then got Owings to fly out to Denard Span. In his second inning of work, Okert gave up a leadoff double, and then was able to get Segura on a sacrifice bunt, struck out Lamb and then after walking Paul Goldschmidt intentionally, he struck out David Peralta to end the threat.

This was the Giants 10th loss to the Diamondbacks in their last 12 games at AT&T Park.

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Diamondbacks make themselves at home in 11-inning, marathon win over the Giants

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By Morris Phillips

From the Giants’ perspective,  the visiting Diamondbacks are getting way to comfortable at AT&T Park.

Last season, Arizona won eight of 10 meetings at McCovey Cove, the first time a visiting club had won that many since the park opened in 2000.  On Monday, the D’Backs hung around until just before midnight, beating the Giants 9-7 in 11 innings, after surviving a two-out, two-strike scenario in the ninth courtesy of Jake Lamb’s game-tying home run off Santiago Casilla.

“Like (Arizona GM) Dave Stewart said when he came in, If you’re going to play that long you better win,” manager Chip Hale said.  “It was  exciting.  Guys were into it in the dugout.”

The Giants were hoping a return home would change their fortunes after a disappointing week in Denver and Los Angeles.  Instead, their bullpen imploded and they lost for the fifth time in their last seven games.

“We came back and took the lead, but it’s tough when you’re one pitch away from a win,” manager Bruce Bochy lamented.

From Stewart, Hale and Chief Baseball Officer Tony LaRussa to third base coach Matt Williams, special assistant Randy Johnson and television color man Bob Brenly, the Diamondbacks have plenty of faces familiar to Bay Area baseball fans. On Monday, they appeared to benefit from unusually warm weather just to their liking, and even had a frame of reference when the marathon of a game reached the swooping seagull phase soon after 10:30pm.

“I remember that seagull dropping a chicken finger on the mound last year,” starting pitcher Archie Bradley said of a 12-inning affair won by the Diamondbacks a year ago.

Bradley was recalled from Triple-A Reno after Arizona suffered a 14-inning loss in San Diego on Saturday night, and Monday’s scheduled starter, Rubby De La Rosa was used in that ballgame.  But Monday’s game was so taxing–the two teams combined to use 12 pitchers–De La Rosa appeared anyway, pitching a scoreless 10th inning and getting the win.

The Giants led 2-1, 6-2 and 7-6 in the ninth, but couldn’t put Arizona away.  Instead, the D’Backs pounded out 16 hits and were seemingly impervious to the scoreboard that showed them leading only in the first and last innings.

Joe Panik homered in the fifth to highlight the Giants’ four-run surge.  But Arizona chipped away scoring one or two runs in six of the 11 frames.

Matt Cain gets the start for the Giants on Tuesday, opposite Arizona’s Robbie Ray at 7:15pm.

 

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San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants looking to rebound from four game road loss as they start homestand

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newsday.co.tt file photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Madison Bumgarner delivers one his pitches back in the 2014 World Series

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips the Giants who open a four game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The Giants are coming off a somewhat tough road trip in Colorado and Los Angeles going 2-4. The Giants dropped two out of three in Colorado and LA. The Giants had to face a tough nemesis in the Rockies slugger Nolan Arenado who clouted out two home runs against San Francisco in the series. Arenado hit two more home runs just Sunday against the Mighty Chicago Cubs for all the runs in that ball game in the 2-0 win.

Giants starters Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain have struggled of late. Bumgarner was rocked in LA and Cain got his lumps in Colorado both are looking for some home cooking on this upcoming homestand with Arizona, Milwaukee, and San Diego. Bumgarner has raised his ERA to 4.50 as the Dodgers beat him in game one of the series in LA.  The Giants got help from starter Johnny Cueto who retired the first 13 batters he faced against the Dodgers on Saturday but the relievers caved and the Giants lost that game.

There’s plenty more with Morris Phillips your host on the Giants podcast click below to listen in right here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants drop rubber match to Dodgers, Samardzija outlasted by Maeda

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By: Eric He

photo credit AP: The Los Angeles Dodgers Joc Pederson (31) gets congratulated by Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts (30) after going yard in the fifth inning off San Francisco Giant pitcher Jeff Samardzija at Dodgers Stadium

LOS ANGELES — Jeff Samardzija was cruising his way through the vaunted Dodgers lineup — until one pitch slipped from his hand.

It was supposed to be a sinker off the plate to Joc Pederson, but it stayed in the zone and Pederson crushed it out to right field to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead for the Dodgers — a lead they would not relinquish for a 3-1 win over the Giants at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night.

“We were sinking [Pederson] away off, and it just stayed on the plate and he put a good swing on it,” Samardzija said.

Samardzija had shut the Dodgers down through four innings until giving up the home run in the fourth inning.

The Dodgers added an insurance run in the seventh, and it was manufactured by Yasiel Puig, who led off the inning with a single and stole second. Then, on a single by Yasmani Grandal that was deflected by Joe Panik and rolled into the lip of the outfield grass, Puig aggressively headed home and scored ahead of the throw.

A walk to the next batter forced Samardzija from the game — the righty allowed three runs in six innings of work.

Samardzija, one of the Giants’ big free agent acquisitions, had a 1-0 record with a 3.38 ERA prior to Sunday’s game.

“I’m not upset about how it went today,” Samardzija said. “Obviously, the one pitch was unfortunate but other than that, I think we did exactly what we wanted to do: a lot of balls on the ground, a couple of double plays, some quick innings.”

Joe Panik led off the scoring with a loud home run to right field, his second of the season that put the Giants up 1-0. The run was the first one allowed by Dodgers’ starter Kenta Maeda in the big leagues.

Maeda entered the night not having allowed a run through two starts, each of which lasted six innings.

And after Panik’s home run, he settled down big time. The Giants put their first two runners on in the fourth inning, but Matt Duffy hit into a double play to end the threat. Maeda then retired eight straight Giants, with Brandon Crawford breaking the streak with an opposite-field single in the seventh with one out. But he was promptly erased when Samardzija bunted into a double play.

Manager Bruce Bochy defended the decision to leave Samardzija in the game instead of pinch-hitting for him with the tying run on base.

“He was throwing the ball very well,” Bochy said. “His pitch count was very good.”

Maeda went seven innings and allowed just the one run on four hits, striking out seven. It may have taken the Giants some time to adjust to the Japanese rookie.

“You can’t make excuses,” Buster Posey said. “You’ve just got to go out and do the best you can. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to cash in there early.

“I thought he changed speeds well. Once he got past the first couple innings, he commanded the ball better in the zone.”

The Giants have now lost four of their last five and drop two of three to the Dodgers in the series. The Giants are 4-3 against the Dodgers thus far this season.

“These two teams [the Giants and Dodgers] are going to go at it and we’re going to battle each other all year,” Bochy said. “They’re good games, close games. It’s exciting when we play each other.”

The Giants will head back home to kick off a four-game series against the Diamondbacks on Monday.