Buster Posey returned from a two-week absence and blasted a two-run homer in his first at-bat to help the visiting San Francisco Giants earn a 7-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series on Monday.
Posey, a seven-time All-Star catcher who had been out since injuring his left thumb on July 4, was one of four Giants with multiple hits.
Posey and Wilmer Flores connected for back-to-back back homers in the first inning. Max Muncy and Justin Turner matched them with consecutive homers in the Dodgers’ half of the first, but the Giants never surrendered the lead.
Zack Littell, Jarlin Garcia (2-2), Dominic Leone and Jay Jackson combined for five no-hit innings out of the San Francisco bullpen before Jake McGee pitched a one-hit ninth. The first-place Giants expanded their lead in the National League West to two games over the second-place Dodgers.
Giants starter Kevin Gausman came in with the second-lowest ERA in the majors (1.73), but he experienced his shortest outing of the season. He went three innings, allowing two runs and three hits while striking out five and walking three on 80 pitches.
Gausman had been scheduled to start Friday, but his turn was pushed back because his wife, Taylor, had complications with her pregnancy.
Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin (1-1) went 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits. He struck out three and walked four.
LaMonte Wade Jr. doubled to lead off the game, and two batters later, Posey hit a 3-2 slider over the fence in left for his 13th homer of the season. Flores followed with his 10th of the year, to deep left-center, to make it 3-0.
Muncy homered for the third time in 15 at-bats off Gausman and the eighth time in 30 at-bats against the Giants this season, cutting the lead to 3-1. It was his 22nd of the season, and Turner followed with his 17th.
The Giants put the game away with four runs in the seventh. Jason Vosler had a sacrifice fly, Thairo Estrada hit a two-run double, and Austin Slater doubled home Estrada to make it 7-2.
–Field Level Media