Giants 6 - 7 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

Giants turn to Vogelsong in the desert

Apr 7, 2015 - 12:08 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - One day into the season and San Francisco's rotation may already be in shambles.

Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong steps in for Jake Peavy on Tuesday, as the Giants try to go 2-0 in the middle test of a three-game season-opening series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

While Peavy is dealing with a back issue, as well as a dead arm, the bigger concern is Matt Cain, who has experienced some forearm tightness and was sent for an MRI.

Of course, forearm tightness is sometimes a precursor to an injury that may require Tommy John surgery.

So in steps the 37-year-old Vogelsong, who re-signed with the Giants for one year this winter after going 8-13 with a 4.00 ERA in 184 2/3 innings last season. He has spent the last four seasons with San Francisco after a four- season span spent in Triple-A as well as overseas.

Lifetime in March/April, though, he's 3-7 with a 6.12 ERA in 34 games (18 starts).

One pitcher that the Giants don't have to worry about is Madison Bumgarner, who was splendid in his season debut on Monday. The 2014 NLCS MVP and World Series MVP allowed one run on six hits over seven innings in San Francisco's 5-4 win.

Bumgarner exited the contest and Arizona proceeded to load the bases in the eighth inning off relievers Javier Lopez and Jean Machi. Sergio Romo then entered and gave up a bases-clearing double to Jake Lamb that made it a one- run game with one out.

Romo, though, struck out Tuffy Gosewisch before putting pinch-hitter Cliff Pennington on with a walk. Jeremy Affeldt was called upon to work out of trouble and he got David Peralta to go down on strikes to end the inning.

Santiago Casilla came on in the ninth and secured the win with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out Paul Goldschmidt to end the game and spoiling Arizona manager Chip Hale's debut.

The first three batters of San Francisco's lineup -- Nori Aoki, Joe Panik and Angel Pagan -- combined to go 8-for-14 with four runs scored. Pagan and Brandon Crawford each knocked in two runs, while Buster Posey added an RBI in the win.

"When we're clicking, it's just going to be a smooth transition from one guy to the next," said Panik. "When we're going, it's going to be fun to watch."

Mark Trumbo's RBI triple accounted for Arizona's other run. Josh Collmenter (0-1), making his first career start on Opening Day, was charged with the loss after surrendering five runs on 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings.

"We have to battle for these next two games," Hale said. "They showed a lot of fight. It felt great to come back."

On Tuesday, Arizona will hand the ball to righty Rubby De La Rosa, who was picked up from Boston this winter in the deal that sent Wade Miley to the Red Sox. De La Rosa posted a 4-8 record with a 4.43 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings in 2014 for the Red Sox.

San Francisco has won 10 of the last 12 matchups with Arizona.






Related News