Miles Scott, dressed as Batkid, second from right, walks to the mound with San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain (18) to throw the ceremonial first pitch before a home opener baseball game between the Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 8, 2014. On Nov. 15, 2013, Scott, a Northern California boy with leukemia, fought villains and rescued a damsel in distress as a caped crusader through The Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, Pool)
SAN FRANCISCO — Michael Morse hit a two-run single to back Tim Hudson as each made memorable home debuts with their new team, and Brandon Belt hit a two-run homer for the San Francisco Giants in a 7-3 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
Hudson (2-0) shut down the D-backs for the second time in seven days with an eight-inning gem in his first outing at AT&T Park since agreed to a $23 million, two-year contract in November.
Belt’s drive off Trevor Cahill (0-3) gave him five homers and the Giants a majors-leading 12.
New Giants left fielder Morse emphatically pumped his fist at first base after a third-inning single, then added a two-out double in the fifth.
San Francisco scored four runs with two outs.
Belt became the first Giants player since Jose Cruz Jr. in 2003 to hit five home runs through the first eight games.
Nine months after ending his 2013 season with a broken right ankle, Hudson followed up 7 2-3 scoreless innings at Arizona last Wednesday with impressive outing. He allowed three runs — two earned — and seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks in a 101-pitch performance.
He stayed strong into the late innings, getting through a perfect, seven-pitch seventh with six strikes and a trio of groundballs.
Arizona has now dropped four openers this season. The Diamondbacks lost in Australia to the Dodgers, at home to the Giants, and at Coors Field.
“Can we get one more in?” D-backs manager Kirk Gibson quipped.
Mark Trumbo failed to homer, ending his streak of games with home runs at four, which tied the club record. He also lost the ball in left-center on Morse’s double.
Brandon Crawford followed with a two-run single.
Cahill, who received no runs of support in his first two starts, gave up five runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Brandon Hicks earned the start at second base for the Giants and had a first-inning error that led to Arizona’s first run.
NOTES: Angel Pagan doubled, singled and scored twice and has an eight-game hitting streak to start the year. ... The Giants won their sixth straight home opener and are 12-3 opening AT&T Park. ... San Francisco plays its first 22 games against the NL West. ... Belt’s nine homers against Arizona are his most against any team. ... A moment of silence was held for former Padres broadcaster Jerry Coleman, ex-pitcher Justin Miller and former athletic trainer Barney Nugent. ... The first-pitch temperature of 73 degrees was the warmest for a Giants home opener since the club moved West in 1958. ... A pair of Scotts threw out ceremonial first pitches — Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott and SFBatkid Miles Scott. In November, Scott — a young boy who has battled leukemia — took over the city as his favorite superhero to save Gotham through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment