Sports

Madison Bumgarner Has Uneven Outing In Rehab Start With River Cats

June 30, 2017 / 8:44 PM PDT / CBS Sacramento

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner allowed four runs and seven hits over 3 2/3 innings and had an uneven outing during a rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday night.

The 2014 World Series MVP consistently clocked his fastball in the low 90s and was mostly crisp with his off-speed pitches but frequently fell behind in the count and got hit hard early. Bumgarner threw 62 pitches, 41 strikes.

Bumgarner also showed his infamous intensity, coming off the mound to glare at home plate umpire David Arrieta at one point in the first inning following a close pitch that was called a ball. He responded with three straight strikes registering 92 mph, 91 mph and 92 mph.

A four-time All-Star, Bumgarner gave up a leadoff double to Tony Kemp to start the game, hit a batter and walked the bases loaded in the first inning before escaping after allowing a sacrifice fly to Fresno's Colin Moran.

Things didn't go any smoother in the second when the Grizzlies scored three runs off Bumgarner to go up 4-0. Fresno strung together three consecutive one-out hits and Derek Fisher added an RBI double over the head of Sacramento center fielder Justin Ruggiano.

After needing only eight pitches to get through the third, Bumgarner gave up a leadoff single in the fourth then retired the next two hitters before being removed.

Bumgarner has not pitched in the majors since suffering a sprained AC joint in his pitching shoulder and bruised ribs in a dirt bike accident during the Giants day off in Colorado on April 20. He avoided surgery and had been pitching in the Arizona Rookie League before beginning his rehab assignment with the River Cats.

Brian Sabean, the Giants executive vice president of baseball operations and former general manager, was on hand and watched from the press box as Bumgarner made his first start in Triple-A since 2010 when he was with Fresno.

The Giants have struggled without their ace. San Francisco entered the day with the second-worst record in the National League (30-51), 23 games out of first place in the West.