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Lincecum earns first win as Giants top Mets

Apr 23, 2012 - 11:54 PM Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Tim Lincecum allowed one run over five innings, Nate Schierholtz and Buster Posey both homered and the Giants defeated the Mets, 6-1, in the opener of Monday's doubleheader.

Lincecum (1-2) gave up four hits, walked five and struck out eight. Schierholtz went 3-for-5 with a triple and a three-run homer and Posey hit a solo shot in the first.

San Francisco has won seven of its last 10 games overall and two of three to begin this series, which concludes tonight.

Miguel Batista (0-1), making his first start of the season, lasted just 3 2/3 innings and was charged with six runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and three walks. Mike Baxter had an RBI double for the Mets, losers of five of their last seven games.

San Francisco got to Batista early, pushing a pair of runs across in the first. Melky Cabrera reached with a one-out walk, stole second and scored on Pablo Sandoval's line drive to right. Sandoval was thrown out at second by Lucas Duda, but Posey followed with a homer to left-center.

New York made it 2-1 in the second when Ruben Tejada drew a two-out walk and Baxter followed with a double to right, but Schierholtz stretched the margin in the third.

Batista retired the first two batters of the inning before Sandoval reached on an error by Ike Davis at first. A walk to Posey preceded Schierholtz's line drive homer to right, which made it 5-1.

Brandon Crawford tacked on an RBI double in the fourth and the Mets failed to score again against Lincecum, who had allowed a total of 16 runs in his previous three starts this season. In the fifth, New York loaded the bases with one out, but Davis grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Guillermo Mota relieved Lincecum in the sixth and faced the minimum before New York loaded the bases again in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Justin Turner led off with a single and Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with a double to place runners at second and third. Mota retired the next two batters -- Daniel Murphy and David Wright -- before Jeremy Affeldt walked Lucas Duda. But Davis again grounded out to end the inning.

Game Notes

Sandoval has hit safely in all 15 games this season, which marks the club's second-longest hit streak to begin a season in San Francisco-era (since 1958) history. Willie Mays owns the record with 16 games (1960)...Lincecum improved to 4-0 in his last four starts against the Mets dating back to 2010...Josh Thole went 1-for-4 and has reached base safely in all 14 games he's played, which marks the longest streak to begin a season for a Mets catcher.