Giants Get Gold-Medal Performance : Opening day: Swift returns to Dodger Stadium for the first time since the 1984 Olympics.

At first it seemed sad. It was opening day, 1992, and the best the San Francisco Giants could send to the mound was Bill Swift, a converted reliever who hadn’t made a start since August of 1990.

He would be going against the Dodgers, a team so stacked in starters that Orel Hershiser has to wait his turn.

But as the innings rolled on, and Dodger batters rolled out, Swift stood tall on the mound. In the eighth inning, he was working on a shutout. He outlasted Dodger starter Ramon Martinez, bounced from the game in the third, by almost six innings and what seemed like hours.

Swift eventually lost his shutout, but was quite content with 7 2/3 strong innings in the Giants’ 8-1 victory at Dodger Stadium.

After spending his first five major league seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Swift, 30, was making his National League debut with the Giants. Swift had pitched in Dodger Stadium once before, against Nicaragua in 1984 as a member of the United States Olympic team.

But Nicaragua never sent to the plate a heart of the order that rivals Kal Daniels, Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis.

“It was nice, especially against the Dodgers,” said Swift, who gave up seven hits.

“It’s kind of a big rivalry here. Most of the guys talked about last year, when the Dodgers came up there (to San Francisco) and played well against them, knocking (the Dodgers) out of the playoffs.”

Giant Manager Roger Craig’s pitching staff entered the season in shambles, with Scott Garrelts, Trevor Wilson and Bud Black on the disabled list.

And the Giants are still answering for the trade that sent slugger Kevin Mitchell to the Mariners in exchange for pitchers Swift, Dave Burba and Mike Jackson.

So far, so good.

“I felt very good about it (the trade) ever since I’ve seen these three guys in spring training,” Craig said.

“When you can get 30% of your pitching staff for one guy, you’ve made a pretty good deal.”

Swift had been both a starter and reliever with the Mariners, but seemingly found his niche last season as a reliever, posting an earned-run average of 1.99, with 17 saves.

But Craig, his staff depleted of quality starters, made his intentions clear with Swift from the time the trade was completed.

“I felt long ago that Bill Swift would be our opening-day pitcher,” Craig said.

“The first time I talked to him, I told him there was a ‘99% chance I’m going to make a starting pitcher out of you,’ because that’s what I need.”

Swift, a sinkerball pitcher, had his best pitch working. He induced 11 ground-ball outs.

“He did a real good job,” Giant first baseman Will Clark said.

“He threw a lot of sinkerballs, a lot of ground balls, some double plays. Any time a sinkerball pitcher stays around the plate, you’re going to play good defense.”

Swift also showed he could hit; his single in the top of the sixth started a five-run Giant inning. Swift also had a sacrifice bunt in four at-bats, the first of his major league career.

“That was a big hit,” Swift said of his single. “It got the inning going. I’m not going to be a .300 hitter or anything. I just want to make contact and make things happen.”

Craig said the pitcher’s ability with the bat did not surprise him. Swift, an excellent all-around athlete, was recruited to the University of Maine as an outfielder.

“Will Clark and those guys who played with and against him in college said he was an outstanding hitter then,” Craig said.

“He’s a good runner (and) fielder and he holds men on base.”

Monday, it was all good enough to easily beat the Dodgers.