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Joe Panik Becomes 1st Player to Hit HR in Back-to-Back 1-0 Victories
March 31, 2018
San Francisco Giants second baseman Joe Panik has made history with two solo home runs in the first two games of the season.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN's Bradford Doolittle), Panik is the first player in MLB history with homers in back-to-back 1-0 wins.
Panik's homers came at the expense of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are 0-2 after leading MLB with 104 wins last season.
Just as impressive as Panik's start has been who he's done the damage against. His first homer came off Clayton Kershaw in the fifth inning of Thursday's season opener. He followed that up with a solo shot in the ninth inning against All-Star closer Kenley Jansen on Friday.
"This spring, I felt really good about my swing and just carried that momentum into the season," Panik said. "Granted, for me as hitter, two home runs in two games off those guys, that's a good feeling. It's not something you really expect or try to do."
In 243.1 combined regular-season innings last season, Kershaw and Jansen allowed just 11 home runs to left-handed hitters.
Panik's hot start is good news for the Giants. Their 98 losses last season were tied for the second-most in franchise history.
