SAN FRANCISCO — Great starting pitching, power to all fields, suspect defense, and some up-and-down performances by the bullpen.
The Giants experienced it all on a picturesque opening day at Oracle Park.
After coughing up a two-run lead in the ninth, the Giants finally closed out the Miami Marlins in the 10th in dramatic fashion, as Austin Slater doubled down the left-field line to score Darin Ruf from first base and give San Francisco a 6-5 win.
It was Slater’s first career walk-off hit and the first Giants’ walk-off victory on opening day since 1987 against the San Diego Padres.
Giants reliever Jose Alvarez fanned Brian Anderson with two outs in the top of the 10th to help keep the game tied 5-5.
The Giants blew a two-run lead in the top of the ninth.
Closer Camilo Doval allowed three earned runs, including a two-run homer to Jazz Chisholm Jr., as the Giants fell behind 5-4. Doval also allowed a single to Joey Wendle to lead off the ninth and later another single to Jacob Stallings that brought in Miguel Rojas.
In the bottom of the ninth, Thairo Estrada made up for his throwing error in the top of the inning with a solo home run to left off Anthony Bender to tie the game 5-5.
Prior to the dramatic ninth inning, Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb didn’t allow a run in six innings and batterymate Joey Bart hit his first career home run.
Picking up right where he left off last season, Webb threw 85 pitches, allowed just five hits, and struck out three. He’s now gone 23 consecutive starts without a losing decision, breaking Carl Hubbell’s franchise record of 22 straight starts without a loss set during the 1936 and 37 seasons.
Webb’s streak began on May 11 of last season.
Bart hit a 414-foot home run in the fifth inning into the sun-splashed bleachers in left field off Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara to give the Giants a 3-0 lead. Brandon Belt also homered, as his shot to right in the eight inning traveled 376 feet and gave San Francisco a 4-2 lead.
After Webb exited the game in the top of the seventh after Wendle walked on four pitches, Dominic Leone missed with his location on a four-seam fastball to Jacob Stallings, who homered to left to cut the Giants’ lead to 3-2.
After Leone walked Chisholm, he was replaced by Tyler Rogers, who struck out both Jorge Soler and Garrett Cooper to end the threat.
Webb was named the Giants’ opening-day starter last week after he went 11-0 with a 2.20 ERA and a .213 opposing average over his last 22 starts last season — including one postseason start.
Friday, Webb retired nine of 10 batters from the third to fifth innings, seemingly getting stronger as the game continued.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Friday morning that Webb was on a pitch count, although he didn’t mention a specific number. With an abbreviated spring training, MLB clubs were not able to fully stretch out their starting rotations — something that will take a bit more time.
“It’s more we have an idea of where we think is appropriate for him to continue his build-up, and I think that’s true around the game right now,” Kapler said. “Pitchers didn’t really have their normal ramp-up time, and so we’re going to respect that with Logan and always keep the long view in mind.
“We want him healthy and strong throughout the season, not just on opening day. Same as we did watch last year, we’ll read and react and the game will tell us how to manage. We’re obviously not going to let him throw 120 pitches.”
In captain-like fashion, Belt had the Giants’ first hit of the season. His bunt to the left side of the infield to beat the shift in the third inning resulted in an error by Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas, whose throw wound up in foul territory behind first base.
That allowed Bart to score from first base for a 1-0 Giants lead. With Belt on second base, Ruf then singled to right to put San Francisco up 2-0.
Belt made an unforgettable entrance to Oracle Park — one only a self-proclaimed captain can make — as part of the Giants’ elaborate opening-day festivities.
Wearing a captain’s hat and a taped “C” on his jersey befitting of his status, Belt, roughly 10 minutes before the first pitch, entered the park from left field on a boat that was being towed by a truck.
Belt threw baseballs into the crowd and saluted his teammates once he arrived at the dugout. Belt then threw out the first pitch to Kapler.
