Red-hot Giants clip Cubs with 3-run 8th

Austin Slater and Joe Panik hit consecutive pitches for two-out, RBI doubles in a three-run eighth inning Monday night that rallied the host San Francisco Giants to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series. Pablo Sandoval opened the eighth with a double, and Brandon Crawford set up the difference-making hits by Slater and Panik with an RBI single, helping the Giants win for the ninth time in their last 10 games. The win pushed the Giants (51-50) over .500 for the first time this season.