Panik’s homer delivers Giants Opening Day victory over Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — It wasn’t how the San Francisco Giants imagined it as early as a week ago, but Opening Day finished in way they always hoped — victoriously.

Instead of Madison Bumgarner, Ty Blach went toe-to-toe against Clayton Kershaw in the first season-opening start of his career, and Hunter Strickland’s scoreless ninth inning sealed San Francisco’s 1-0 victory.

The only offense the Giants needed to put the Dodgers away, and enjoy a winning record for the first time since the end of 2016, was a solo home run from Joe Panik.

“You know what, when he hit it, I thought he might have hooked it, it was going to hook foul,” Bruce Bochy said. “It was a little strange the way he straightened out there, but it stayed fair, which is a good thing.

“I really felt like we had some good at-bats,” Bochy added. “We had some pressure on them. We just couldn’t get that big hit and Panik came through with his home run.”

The Giants threatened to score in the first two innings, but on both occasions they were turned away empty handed.

A pair of hard-hit singles by Austin Jackson and Panik put two men on base for Andrew McCutchen and Buster Posey in the first inning. However, after McCutchen hit into a double play, Jackson was stranded at third when Kershaw struck out Posey.

The following inning, Hunter Pence was singled to third by Brandon Belt, who recorded his first hit against Kershaw since 2012. Before Thursday, Belt was 0-for-37 against Kershaw. However, another strikeout by Kershaw extinguished San Francisco’s threat.

Fortunately for the Giants, the Dodgers started off just as quietly.

The first time through the lineup, Blach held the Dodgers to singles from Yasmani Grandal and Kershaw, while also walking Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp.

Second time through, it wasn’t much better for the Dodgers, who’s only hit from the third through fifth inning came on Kershaw’s second single of the game.

Neither team scored until Panik broke the silence with a solo home run in the fifth inning. Faced with a 2-2 count, Panik hesitantly jogged towards first until he saw the ball sneak past the foul pole in right field. Although McCutchen and Posey followed up with a double and walk respectively, the Giants were unable to add to their lead.

In turn, Blach continued to pitch as if it wasn’t the first Opening Day start of his career. He worked through a scoreless five innings, allowing three hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Blach’s dominance over the Dodgers isn’t anything new.

Before Thursday, Blach boasted a 2.23 ERA through 36.1 career innings pitched against the Dodgers. Over the last two years, Blach has pitched in seven games against the Dodgers, including four starts, putting up a 2.23 ERA with 16 strikeouts.

After Josh Osich pitched a scoreless sixth inning, Cory Gearrin entered the game in the seventh and ran into trouble. Two singles put runners on the corners, but Gearrin kept the Giants ahead by freezing Chris Taylor for an inning-ending strikeout.

Tony Watson followed up Gearrin in the 8th, making his first appearance against the Dodgers since becoming a Giant. He struck out three of his former teammates on his way to a scoreless inning. Filling in for the injured Mark Melancon, Hunter Strickland shut the door in the 9th inning.

The Giants’ Johnny Cueto is set to face Alex Wood of the Dodgers in game two of the four game series on Friday at 7:10 PM.

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Before Thursday’s game, Melancon confessed he dealt with discomfort in his pitching arm all spring after undergoing forearm surgery last year.

For the time being, Strickland will close in place of Melancon, and Reyes Moronta will take over his spot in the roster.