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Roberts lifts Diamondbacks over Giants

Apr 7, 2012 - 3:25 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Ryan Roberts ripped the go-ahead two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks opened their 2012 season with a 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday at Chase Field.

Chris Young cracked a two-run home run and Paul Goldschmidt added a solo shot for the Diamondbacks, who completed a worst-to-first turnaround last season to claim the NL West title.

Ian Kennedy (1-0), who won 21 games a season ago, picked up right where he left off, giving up three runs while scattering nine hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. J.J. Putz worked through a shaky ninth inning to earn his first save of the new campaign.

"We knew San Francisco wasn't going to go away after we scored early," Diamonbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "For us to get two runs after they tied it up was huge."

Tim Lincecum (0-1) drew the Opening Day start for San Francisco and struggled early. He gave up three runs in the first inning and finished with five runs to his name on six hits while striking out seven and walking one in 5 1/3 innings.

Melky Cabrera blasted a two run homer, Pablo Sandoval collected an RBI double and Brandon Crawford knocked in a run with an RBI groundout for the Giants, who look to reclaim the NL West after finishing a full eight games behind the Diamondbacks last season.

Catcher Buster Posey made his return to the starting lineup for the first time since suffering a broken leg on May 29. He finished 2-for-4 with a walk.

Tied at two, the Diamondbacks took the lead for good in the home half of the sixth when Justin Upton started the frame with a ground-rule double. Goldschmidt worked a walk two batters later and Jason Kubel reached on an error to load the bases against Lincecum with one out.

Roberts then cracked an 0-1 changeup from the wiry righty to the left field corner -- the deepest part of the ballpark -- allowing Upton and Goldschmidt to score.

In the top of the ninth, Cabrera reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a defensive indifference to put a runner in scoring position against Putz with two down. Sandoval then brought home Cabrera with a double into the right-center field gap to make it 5-4.

Putz shook it off though, and induced a groundout from Posey to end the game.

Arizona opened its season at the plate with a bang, putting up three runs against Lincecum. Willie Bloomquist slapped a single to right to lead off the frame, then Young followed by ripping a hanging breaking ball into the left field seats to make it 2-0, but the D-Backs weren't done just yet.

Lincecum battled back to strikeout Upton and Montero and was poised to escape the inning with just two runs, but he served up a middle-in fastball to Goldschmidt, and the young slugger deposited it in the left field stands to push the Arizona lead to 3-0.

"I got a little mad," Lincecum said. "Giving up three runs in that first inning is not the way to start a season, so I just tried to bear down and grind through."

The Giants got on the board in the visitor's half of the fifth when Angel Pagan ripped a one-out double into the right field corner and Cabrera followed by blasting a Kennedy fastball to right that just had enough height to get over the wall and pull San Francisco to within 3-2.

Aubrey Huff opened the San Francisco sixth with a single to right and Brandon Belt followed with a single of his own to put two runners on with no outs. Both men advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Theriot and Huff trotted home with the tying run on a groundout by Crawford.

Game Notes

The Giants and Diamondbacks met for the first time on Opening Day...Young was 7-for-46 (.152) against Lincecum prior to his first inning homer...It was Goldschmidt's third career home run off Lincecum...It was the first time in franchise history that the Diamondbacks have hit two home runs in the first inning on Opening Day...San Francisco was 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men stranded.