San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander deals against the Seattle Mariners in the top of the first inning for the Giants home opener at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Apr 4, 2025 (AP News photo)
Friday, April 4, 2025
Oracle Park
Seattle Mariners 9 (3-5)
San Francisco Giants 10 (6-1)
Win: Spencer Bivens (1-1)
Loss: Carlos Vargas (0-1)
Time: 4:03
Attendance: 40,865
By Stephen Ruderman
SAN FRANCISCO–For the second year in a row and the third time in the last four years, the Giants won their home opener on a walk-off, as Willy Adames came up with the Giants down to their last out and lined a base-hit the other way to score two, and gave the Giants a thrilling 10-9 win to cap off a sloppy 11-inning thriller.
The Giants have always had the pageantry going for their home opener, but this year was a bit different. A week from today is the 25th anniversary of the first regular season game of what was then Pacific Bell Park. With the Giants on the road next Friday, they honored the 2000 team during the introduction of the 2025 Giants.
Several members of the 2000 Giants were on hand: 2000 National League Manager of the year Dusty Baker; Pitching Coach Dave Righetti; Bench Coach Ron Wotus; Kirk Rueter, who made the start in the first game against the Dodgers on April 11; Rich Aurilia; Russ Ortiz; Mark Gardner; J.T. Snow; Marvin Benard; and Barry Bonds were introduced.
The 2025 Giants were then introduced, and new San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie threw out the first pitch. It was a bit smoggy in the morning, but that had cleared by the time of the ceremonies, and it was time for Baseball on a beautiful day on the shores of McCovey Cove.
Justin Verlander, who last pitched at Oracle Park in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series when he gave up the first two of Pablo Sandoval’s three home runs in that game, would take the mound for the Giants. Verlander received a nice ovation during the pregame introductions, which I assume was due to him coming to the Giants and not giving up the two home runs to Pablo, though there probably was a fan or two who applauded for the latter.
Verlander got Victor Robles to pop up to begin the game, but Julio Rodriguez hit an opposite-field cheapie to the first row atop the 24-foot Willie Mays wall in right-center field to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. I have still yet to determine whether Rodriguez used the abomination known as the “torpedo bat.” Whether it was a cheapie or not, and whether or not J-Rod is using the torpedo bat, it would just be the start of an insane afternoon at the ballpark.
The Giants got the run back against Mariners’ starter Luis F. Castillo in the bottom of the first inning. LaMonte Wade Jr., who came into today’s game 1-for-19 on the young season, roped a double down the right field line, and he scored on a two-out infield hit off the bat of Matt Chapman.
Verlander settled down with a 1-2-3 top of the second, and the Giants again pounced off Castillo in the bottom of the second. Wilmer Flores lined a base-hit to left, and Patrick Bailey reached on a bunt single.
Tyler Fitzgerald laid down a bunt to move the runners over to second and third, but Castillo bobbled the ball, and the Giants had the bases loaded with nobody out. Wade then came up and lined another double to right, and this scored a pair to give the Giants a 3-1 lead.
Verlander ran into trouble in the top of the third, as the Mariners loaded the bases with one out. Randy Arozarena walked to make it 3-2, and Jorge Polanco lined a base-hit up the middle to tie it at 3-3. That did it for Verlander, who threw 65 pitches through two and third innings.
Randy Rodriguez got out of the inning without any further damage, and then he proceeded to throw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth.
Castillo was also done early, as he was pulled after throwing a scoreless bottom of the third.
Tayler Saucedo was the new pitcher for Seattle in the bottom of the fourth. Willy Adames reached on an infield hit with one out and stole second. Jung Hoo Lee grounded a base-hit up the middle, which scored Adames to put the Giants back ahead 4-3.
Mariners Manager Dan Wilson pulled Saucedo for Collin Snider, who walked Chapman to move Lee to second. That brought up Heliot Ramos, who continued his hot start with a base-hit to right. Lee Scored, and the Giants were up 5-3.
Lou Trivino was the new pitcher for the Giants in the top of the fifth. Unfortunately, the Mariners tied the game again, as Jorge Polanco hit a two-run home run to right.
Snider retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but Wade, who already had a pair of doubles, barely beat out a triple to right. The Mariners challenged the call by Third Base Umpire John Libka, but the call was upheld. Adames then lined a double to left, and just like that the Giants retook a 6-5 lead.
Camilo Doval, who was the Giants’ closer until last August, and who had gotten the save on Sunday in Cincinnati, was summoned for the top of the sixth. Doval got J.P. Crawford looking on a cutter on the outside corner to start the inning, but Victor Robles and Rodriguez both singled and stole third and second respectively on a double steal.
Cal Raleigh was now at the plate, and he hit a ground ball to second that went under the glove of second-baseman Tyler Fitzgerald. Robles and Rodriguez scored, and the Mariners were now back ahead 7-6. Arozarena lined out to first for the second out, but Raleigh, who had stolen third, scored on an infield hit by Jorge Polanco, and that made it 8-6.
Eduard Bazardo, who finished the bottom of the fifth was back out in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Chapman had an immediate response with a home run to left-center to make it 8-7.
Ramos reached on an infield hit, and Mike Yastrzemski moved him over to third with a base-hit to right. Wilmer Flores struck out, but Patrick Bailey got Ramos in when he grounded into a fielder’s choice.
The Mariners loaded the bases against lefty Erik Miller in the top of the seventh, but Miller was able to get out of it without any damage. Gabe Speier then came in and followed that up with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh.
Tyler Rogers threw a scoreless top of the eighth for the Giants, and Trent Thornton did the same for the Mariners in the bottom of the eighth.
Bob Melvin brought in his closer, Ryan Walker, for the top of the ninth. It was a luxury Melvin had with his team at home, and Walker rewarded his skipper with a scoreless top of the ninth.
The Giants had already won two of their last three home openers with walk-off hits. Austin Slater infamously sent Darin Ruf on the move with a walk-off double down the left field line in the season opener against the Miami Marlins on April 8, 2022. In the Giants’ home opener against the San Diego Padres on April 5, 2024, Thairo Estrada sent everyone home happy with a walk-off double to left-center.
The Giants were in prime position to make it three walk-offs in four years against Gregory Santos in the bottom of the ninth. Patrick Bailey doubled to lead off the inning, and Christian Koss pinch-ran and got to third on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, the Giants were unable to come through, and we went to extras for some Manfred Ball.
Spencer Bivens survived a Manfred-induced jam in the top of the 10th, and Andres Munoz did the same for Seattle in the bottom of the 10th.
Julio Rodriguez was up with the bases loaded and two outs against Bivens in the top of the 11th. Bivens’ first pitch to J-Rod was a cutter that sailed to the backstop, and Luke Raley scored to give Seattle a 9-8 lead.
Wilson brought in Carlos Vargas for the bottom of the 11th, and Wilmer Flores was the Manfred runner at second for the Giants. Luis Matos pinch-ran for Flores and advanced to third on a soft ground out by catcher Sam Huff.
Tyler Fitzgerald walked on a nut-cutter 3-2 slider right on the outside that Home Plate Umpire Sean Barber did not give to Vargas. Fitzgerald stole second for the Giants’ fourth stolen base of the game, but Wade struck out looking for the second out.
The Giants were down to their final out, just as they were on March 27 in the season opener in Cincinnati. That brought up the new Giant, Willy Adames, with a chance to be the hero. Like Wade, Adames was off to a rough start, but came up to the plate 2-for-6 on the afternoon.
Adames lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a base-hit. Matos scored to tie the game, and as Third Base Coach Matt Williams waived in Fitzgerald, Mariners’ right-fielder Victor Robles double clutched, and that allowed Fitzgerald to slide in ahead of the tag. The game was finally over, and the Giants won it 10-9.
When all was said and done, Spencer Bivens got the win, and Gregory Santos was saddled with the loss.
It was another incredible hard-fought win for the Giants, who are off to their first 6-1 start since 2010.
Adames went 3-for-7, and Wade went 3-for-6. Ramos had another big game, as he went 3-for-5, but he also struck out for the 12th time already this season. Patrick Bailey very quietly today.
With their four stolen bases today, the Giants have 10 stolen bags through their first seven games. For those of you wondering, it took the Giants 22 games to steal 10 bases last season. The only other time the Giants have stolen 10 bases in their first seven games in their history in San Francisco was in 1960.
The Giants will try and make it 7-1 tomorrow, as they will send Robby Ray (1-0, 5.06 ERA) to the mound. Bryce Miller (0-1, 4.76 ERA) will make the start for Seattle. First pitch will be at 6:05 p.m.
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