Road warriors put the shine on a 5-2 trip

Ah, a nice tall cup of Peet’s and some daytime Giants Baseball; that’s a good morning. Who had the bagels, ‘cause we didn’t get any?

For the second straight game San Francisco’s starting pitching was, to be charitable, underwhelming. And for the second straight day, the offense bailed them out. And this time the offense consisted mainly of upstarts as Manager Bruce Bochy fielded a Getaway Day line-up filled with reserves.

I'm safe and you're not. Panik slides in  safely with the game's biggest hit. (AP Photo)

Joe Panik’s three-run triple was the big blow as the Giants overcame Albert Suarez’s early struggles to post a 5-3 win at Pittsburgh, notching a 3-1 win in the four-game series and securing a 5-2 record on the two-city East Coast trip.

The Giants are hot enough to warrant handling with one of those silicone gloves that costs way too much at Sur Le Table. Thursday’s win was their 11th in 12 games and lifted the G-Men to an absurd 20 games over .500. Since May 11, when they were a game below break-even, all they’ve done is post the best record in baseball by winning 30 of 39.

At 47-27 they, at least temporarily, caught Chicago for the most wins in the NL. Take that MLB Network. How about some love out here? They sit six games ahead of the idle Dodgers in the NL West.

Most important, they're doing everything conventional wisdom says a contender should. The adage is you can win two-thirds of your games at home and break even on the road, you've got the goods. That Giants are a solid 22-13 when eating home cooking and an astounding 25-11 away from AT&T Park -- the best road record in the bigs.

Hot wasn’t the word you’d use at the game’s outset, not unless you’re thinking about what it was like under Bochy’s collar. After the Giants had gone quietly in the top of the first, Pittsburgh broke out on top with a little help from Mr. Suarez.

Lead-off man John Jaso was gifted with first base when Suarez clipped him with a 2-2 pitch. Jaso was forced on John Harrison’s fielder’s choice, but Harrison didn’t stay at first for long. A pick-off attempt posed a bigger threat to the fans in the expensive seats than to Harrison, who scampered around to third on the errant toss. From there it was an easy pick-up for Gregory Polanco, who plated the run with a sac fly.

Suarez gave up a walk and a single in the second but escaped damage. Meanwhile, Bucs hurler Jonathan Niese had set down the first six Giants hitters. As a fan you’re about to reach that point where you have to calm yourself and  remember that it’s still early and the momentum can swing quickly. The thought was still forming when the roof caved in on Niese.

Jarrett Parker walked and Conor Gillaspie singled him to second, then Suarez sacrificed each man up 90 feet. Why are the Giants winning? None of those three names were present on the opening day roster, and each was doing something to help the team. 

All told, five of the game's starting nine (The Sacramento Five; T-shirts available soon) weren't on the Opening Day roster.

Giants hitters weren't nice to Niese. (AP Photo)

That set it up for the regulars. Denard Span walked to load the bases and Panik promptly unloaded them with a bomb that split the gap in right-center to chase all three runners home. Mac Williamson, another guy who started the season in the minors, singled to drive home Panik and the Giants had a sudden 4-1 lead. 

Suarez didn’t get the hoped-for shut-down frame, giving up a pair in the bottom half as Jaso singled, Harrison matched Panik’s triple and Polanco got his second sac fly of the contest. The top of the order manhandled Suarez, who was making just his fourth Major League start.

But that was it for the hosts. Suarez was far from impressive but he gave his team a chance to win. He struck out six and walked a pair over his five innings (102 pitches; just 59 for strikes) and notched his third win. George Kontos, Hunter Strickland, Cory Gearrin and Santiago Casilla each worked a scoreless ninth to get the Giants to the finish line.

The Giants still had a run to get, and did so on one swing. Williamson went deep off Niese in the sixth for his second long ball of the season and the 18th allowed by Niese, who may get a sponsorship from NASA by the All-Star Break. Williamson’s shot wasn’t much to look at; just a 1-1 fastball that went 446 feet into left center, the deepest part of PNC Park.

Williamson was the star with the lumber, getting three of the Giants’ nine hits. Ramiro Pena, the fifth AAA musketeer, singled twice to go with Panik’s triple while Parker, Gillaspie and Buster Posey added singles. Yes, it took us that long to get to Buster Posey; something as surprising as us not breaking a thumb while typing Casilla’s name. The kids carried the day.

A long cross-country trek and a quick turnaround lie ahead as the Giants return home to face Philadelphia on Friday. Jake Peavy (3-6, 5.47) is slated to start for the Giants while Zach Eflin (0-2, 10.80 ERA) gets the ball for the Phillies.

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