Diamondbacks 7, Giants 6
PHOENIX - Arizona reprised the 27-out formula Sunday that was the hallmark of its 2011 NL West championship last year.
The D-backs overcame a six-run deficit, helped by timely hitting and some shaky San Francisco defense, for a 7-6 victory over the Giants, stunning $112 million man Matt Cain and sweeping the season-opening, three-game series between the two most recent division winners.
Down 6-0 after three innings, the D-backs got close with home runs by Ryan Roberts and Lyle Overbay before taking their first lead by scoring two runs on only one hit off four Giants' relievers in the seventh inning.
Pinch-hitter Jason Kubel opened the seventh with an opposite-field single to left field, his first hit with the D-backs after signing a two-year, $15 million deal as a free agent this winter. Willie Bloomquist forced Kubel at second before walks to Aaron Hill and Justin Upton loaded the bases.
Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford mishandled a potential double play ball hit by Miguel Montero, enabling Bloomquist to score to tie the game at 6 while the bases remained loaded.
Chris Young then grounded to third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who threw to the plate in time to get Hill. But home plate umpire Mike DiMuro ruled that Posey's foot was not in contact with the plate when he received the ball and called Hill safe. Giants manager Bruce Bochy was ejected after arguing the call.
Wade Miley got the victory with four innings of hitless relief, and Bryan Shaw recorded his first major league save by retiring Posey with runners on first and second in the ninth.
Arizona, which had a major league-high 48 comeback victories in 2011, tied a franchise record for largest deficit overcome in a victory.
Posey hit his first home run since April 24, 2011, in the third inning off D-backs starter Josh Collmenter to give the Giants a 6-0 lead. His two-run homer landed in the Chase Field pool area in right-center field, capped a three-run third inning. He singled and scored in a three-run second.
The 2010 NL Rookie of the Year when the Giants won the World Series, Posey started all three games behind the plate in his first regular-season action since suffering a season-ending left ankle injury in a collision with Florida's Scott Cousins on a play at home May 25.
First baseman Overbay, making his first start of the season, hit a two-run, two-out double in the fourth inning to make it 6-2 off Cain. It was Cain's first appearance making his first start since he signed his five-year, $112.5 million contract extension last Monday.
Roberts hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and Overbay followed with a solo shot to make it 6-5.
NOTES: Arizona had its second consecutive series sweep over the Giants after clinching the NL West with a three-game sweep Sept. 23-25 at Chase Field. The D-backs have won the last eight games and 10 of the last 12 against the Giants, winning four straight series. ... Shaw worked the ninth because closer J.J. Putz had saved the previous two games. ... Cain, discussing the money involved in his contract extension in a recent interview with the Giants' flagship radio station KNBR: "It doesn't make sense. It really, really doesn't make sense," he said. But you'll take it, he was asked. "Yes," he said with a laugh. ... The D-backs hit three home runs in the first inning of the three games of the San Francisco series. They had 19 in the first inning last season. ... The D-backs were charged with five errors, one short of the franchise record set July 3, 2010, against the Dodgers, in Kirk Gibson's second game as the interim manager after replacing the fired A.J. Hinch. The throwing error charged to catcher Miguel Montero on Cain's slow roller in the fourth could have been called a hit. The Giants had three errors.
