So they went up the Pacific Coast to start a 3-game weekend Interleague series with the San Francisco Giants, their 1st visit to Pacific Bell -- I mean, SBC -- excuse me, AT&T -- or, rather, Oracle Park -- since 2007.
James Paxton started for the Banged-Up Bombers, and was a little off: Aaron Boone took him out in the 6th inning, after 106 pitches, 70 for strikes, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, although he did strike out 8. Nevertheless, I can't fault his decision, because, between them, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino and Aroldis Chapman pitched 4 1/3rd hitless innings (albeit with 4 walks).
Madison Bumgarner, a member of the Giants' 3 World Series winners earlier in the decade, and the biggest pitching hero the franchise has had since Carl Hubbell (sorry, Juan Marichal, but you didn't win a World Series), started for them, and the Yankees got to "MadBum" early. They scored 3 runs in the 1st inning, on a Gleyber Torres double and a single by new acquisition Cameron Maybin.
They added runs on a Gio Urshela single in the 3rd, a Luke Voit double in the 5th, a Thairo Estrada single in the 6th, and a Voit home run in the 9th. Let's see, we're in San Francisco, so... Cliche Alert: The Yankees wanted an insurance run, so he hit one to the Transamerica Building.
Yankees 7, Giants 3. WP: Paxton (3-2). No save. LP: Bumgarner (1-4).
The series continues this afternoon, at 4:05 New York time, 1:05 local. J.A. Happ starts against Derek Holland.