SAN FRANCISCO
Bruce Bochy has taken to calling the third spot in the Giants’ lineup a “black hole” this season for its seeming ability to neutralize any hitter he puts there. On Saturday, the manager tried hot-hitting Joe Panik in that spot. Panik went 0 for 4.
On Sunday, Bochy dropped Panik back to seventh in the order, and the second baseman homered in his first two at-bats for the first multi-homer game of his career. Panik’s mini-power surge highlighted the Giants’ lineup breaking out for 18 hits in a 13-4 win over the Atlanta Braves at AT&T Park.