PHOENIX _ They were two gut punches, one after the next. They landed hard. They made eyes roll and jaws drop.
Madison Bumgarner becoming the first pitcher in major league history to hit two home runs on Opening Day? Nope. Try the Giants blowing not one but two save opportunities in a stunning, season-opening 6-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Sunday.
Bumgarner was a two-way wonder, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning and striking out 11 in seven while also cracking himself into the record books with a prodigious power display at the plate.
But Derek Law couldn't hold a one-run lead in the eighth inning. And after the Giants nudged ahead in the ninth on Joe Panik's triple and Conor Gillaspie's sacrifice fly, neither could new closer Mark Melancon.
Melancon, who signed a $62 million contract in the offseason, did not allow a run in any of his 11 appearances this spring. That made the ninth inning even more unbelievable for a team that set a franchise record with 32 blown saves last season.
Melancon had two outs and the bases empty when Jeff Mathis hit a double, and the Diamondbacks strung together three more chopped and flared singles. Chris Owings got a liner to fall in right field as the Diamondbacks scampered onto the field in celebration.
The Giants lost on an afternoon when Bumgarner added to his legend. He became the first pitcher in major league history to hit two home runs on Opening Day.
Even with the bases empty and two outs, Arizona right-hander Zack Greinke pitched Bumgarner with respect. He walked him on a 3-2 breaking ball _ just the sixth walk he had issued to an opposing pitcher in 307 career plate appearances against them.
It was unclear, then, what possessed Greinke to try to sneak a two-strike fastball past Bumgarner leading off the fifth inning. Bumgarner hammered the pitch at the top of the zone, sending a low line drive screaming into the seats in left-center field to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.
It was just the second home run by a pitcher on Opening Day in the past 25 years. Clayton Kershaw had the other, against the Giants, in 2013. And it was the first home run hit by a Giants pitcher on Opening Day in the club's San Francisco era; four pitchers accomplished it as New York Giants, and Johnny Antonelli was the last to do it in 1956.
It also was just the third home run that Greinke had ever surrendered to a pitcher. Bumgarner owns two of the three.
If that weren't impressive enough, Bumgarner was even more overpowering on the mound through five innings. He struck out the side in the second inning on just 10 pitches. His nipping fastball approached 95 mph, a level of sizzle he usually doesn't approach without that October adrenaline.
Greinke was done after throwing 92 pitches in five innings. Bumgarner had thrown just 54 while recording his first 15 outs. The afternoon shadows still hadn't crept across the infield.
The Giants even took a 3-0 lead in the sixth when Crawford doubled and scored on Eduardo Nunez's single. Nunez stole his second base of the afternoon but was thrown out upon Arizona's successful replay challenge when he tried to advance on a ball that squirted away from catcher Jeff Mathis.
Nunez had quite a day. He also accounted for the game's first run in the second inning, when he reached on an infield single, stole second base, advanced on a ground out and scored on Panik's sacrifice fly.
The Diamondbacks' hyper-aggressive approach against Bumgarner finally worked to their benefit in the bottom of the sixth. Mathis broke up the perfect game with a triple that ensured Hall of Famer Bob Feller would remain the only pitcher in history to throw a no-hitter on Opening Day.
Perhaps Bumgarner lost focus, or was a bit easier to pick up from the stretch. Within the span of two batters, the Diamondbacks tied the game. Nick Ahmed hit a pinch single before A.J. Pollock turned around a belt-high fastball for a two-run home run.
But as quickly as Bumgarner lost the lead, he provided another one. Facing left-hander Andrew Chafin in the seventh, he crushed a high drive that cleared the Diamondbacks bullpen in the left field corner.
Bumgarner joined the Mets' Noah Syndergaard as the only pitchers in the last decade to homer twice in a game. He also became the first Giant to do it since Jim Gott in 1985. And with 16 career home runs, Bumgarner tied then moved past Antonelli and Hal Schumacher to become the franchise's all-time leader in home runs by a pitcher.
The history was impressive. The sheer physics were wondrous. Both of Bumgarner's home runs left the bat at 112 mph. Just 14 major league players hit two home runs that hard all last season, according to StatCast. Bumgarner did it on Opening Day. He also owns the four hardest hit home runs by a pitcher in the two years for which StatCast data is available.
But Bumgarner had to work harder while protecting his 4-3 lead in the seventh inning, barely surviving David Peralta's drive to the warning track in left field. Bruce Bochy took him out after throwing 88 pitches.
And a three-out bridge to Melancon proved too much. Law got first crack at a prime setup role and got scratched for singles by all three right-handed batters he faced. Paul Goldschmidt tied it when his ground ball found a seam on the left side of the infield.
The Giants blew a franchise record 32 saves last season. They wasted no time getting the first one out of the way this year. But the next two relievers did well to preserve the tie. Ty Blach, the only left-hander in the bullpen following Will Smith's season-ending Tommy John surgery, was summoned to face Jake Lamb and got him to ground into a double play. Then Hunter Strickland fielded a nubber from Yasmani Tomas to strand the go-ahead run at third base.
The Giants did it with more drama than they would like, but they got the ball to Melancon with the lead in the ninth. Even then, it didn't work out.
