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Giants waste eight-inning Bumgarner start in loss to Brewers

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© Stan Szeto | USA Today


SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants cannot seem to get good hitting and good pitching at the same time. On Friday night, the team (52-53) fell below .500 for the first time since June 22, losing to the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 after an eight-inning start from Madison Bumgarner.

For six innings, the Brewers were shut out by Bumgarner, who was returning from an odd start against the Oakland A’s July 21. Bumgarner walked four A’s batters in the fifth inning and was pulled, failing to pitch five innings for the first time in 89 games. Before the game, manager Bruce Bochy said he expected Bumgarner would bounce back.

“That’s what you have to do in this game,” Bochy said. “You have to be resilient, you have to put the tough games behind you and he’ll be back on the horse so-to-speak. No one’s better than (Bumgarner). I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight, but that’s kind of been his forte, bouncing back well.”

Bumgarner did just that, allowing his first run in the sixth inning. He started the inning by allowing a leadoff single and a walk, before securing a groundout which moved runners to second and third. The next batter was Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun, who came to the plate after two line-drive infield outs earlier in the game. Braun grounded out to second, scoring the tying run.

The Brewers followed up in the seventh inning in similar fashion. After a leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and stolen base, they were left with a runner at third base and one out. Again, they hit a ground ball, this time hit to third baseman Evan Longoria. It was too deep in the infield for Longoria to make a play at the plate, forcing him to go to first, giving the Brewers a 2-1 lead.

Braun and right fielder Christian Yelich tormented Bumgarner. Yelich hit two doubles and walked once, hitting his second double in the top of the eighth inning. With two outs and Yelich on second, Braun returned to the plate, hitting a single into right field and recording his second RBI of the night. In total, Bumgarner forced 11 groundouts in eight innings of three-run, five strikeout work.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Giants created their best chance at a comeback. With two outs, they received a pair of singles from Steven Duggar and Alen Hanson and a four-pitch walk to Andrew McCutchen to load the bases. Buster Posey, who had three hits in his previous six at-bats, stepped to the plate. With a 2-2 count, Posey hit a chopper to third base, ending the inning and wasting the Giants’ best chance of the game. In total, Giants stranded five of their six baserunners in scoring position.

Posey and Crawford opened the game hot, but struggled late after their two-hit performances Thursday night. Posey led off the bottom half of the second inning with a deep double to right field, sliding in just before the relay throw. Crawford followed suit, doubling to deep right-center field to score Posey. Posey held between second and third while the ball was in the air, cautioning himself from being doubled up at second on a fly ball like he was in the fourth inning on Thursday.

That offensive production proved to be all for the Giants. With the loss, they fall to 5 games back in the National League Wild Card race.