Goldschmidt, Parra lead charge to beat Giants

SAN FRANCISCO -- Please don't make Paul Goldschmidt talk about his dominance over Tim Lincecum.

The D-backs first baseman spoke volumes with his bat Wednesday night as his three-run homer in the first inning set the tone for Arizona's 7-3 win over the Giants, but he was reluctant as ever after the game to talk about his accomplishments.

The sellout crowd at AT&T Park had barely settled into their seats before the D-backs grabbed a lead.

Gerardo Parra led off the game with a triple off Lincecum, and Martin Prado drew a walk. That brought up Goldschmidt, who since coming to the big leagues in August 2011 has simply owned Lincecum.

That dominance continued when Goldschmidt hit a 1-1 fastball on the outer edge of the plate over the wall in right for a 3-0 Arizona lead.

"I knew I hit it good, but I was kind of worried it may go foul," Goldschmidt said. "I think the wind actually helped keep it fair. It was right down the line. We had Parra on third, so worst case it was a sac fly, but fortunately it stayed fair and got out of there."

Goldschmidt is now 13-for-24 against Lincecum with seven home runs, and he became just the 35th right-handed hitter to homer to right at AT&T Park.

Ask him about the success he's had against Lincecum and Goldschmidt goes out of his way to show respect for the right-hander.

"You know Lincecum is a very good pitcher," he said. "You just go up there and try to have a good at-bat and try to hit the ball hard. Fortunately, I was able to get one there in the first inning. No matter who's out there, it doesn't change. You try to have a good at-bat, try to keep it simple and hit the ball hard."

OK, but how does he explain the amount of success he's had against him?

"Obviously I've had success right now, but that can change in a hurry," Goldschmidt said. "There's plenty of guys that maybe you start off hot and then all of a sudden you don't get a hit. That's how baseball is -- or vice versa, maybe there's a guy you don't hit very well and then for some reason you get a few hits off him. We're talking a small sample size here. It's really not anything I think about. No matter who is on the mound -- it sounds like a dumb thing -- but you try to have a good at-bat. Fortunately, I was able to hit one out today and I'll try to go out and do the same tomorrow."

After the Giants had cut the lead to 3-1 on Michael Morse's second-inning homer, the D-backs responded with a pair of runs in the third, with Goldschmidt driving home one with a sacrifice fly and Eric Chavez plating another with a triple.

The D-backs were not done as they collected another two runs off Lincecum in the fourth on a two-run homer by Parra, who finished a double away from hitting for the cycle, to go up 7-2.

Lincecum's night ended after four innings and the Giants right-hander was charged with seven runs on seven hits. He has won just one of his last 11 starts against the D-backs.

"I know he has some holes here and there," Lincecum said of Goldschmidt. "But I have to mix up my pitch routines. I made a lot of mistakes today. He was up there with four guys on in two at-bats."

Arizona starter Bronson Arroyo (1-0) managed to get through five innings to earn the win. He pitched his way into and out of trouble as he allowed three runs on six hits.

Bothered by a bulging disk in his back this spring, Arroyo is a little behind the other Arizona starters, but he still managed to throw 90 pitches.

"I'm just not quite as strong as I'd like to be," he said. "Getting up there around 90 pitches, I'm just a bit fatigued. Hopefully I can turn the corner here soon and give this team 105-110 pitches and get into the seventh inning and not have the bullpen eat up so many innings."