Bumgarner Solid In Giants' 3-2 Loss To Padres
SAN DIEGO (AP) Madison Bumgarner has seen this play out before, so he's not surprised when his San Francisco teammates struggle at the plate.
Bumgarner was left with nothing to show despite a solid six-inning performance, as Chris Denorfia hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning to lift the San Diego Padres to a 3-2 victory over the Giants on Tuesday night.
The Giants' 24-year-old left-hander gave up two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks, but was left with a no decision - again.
Since the All-Star break, Bumgarner has just one winning decision in nine starts, going 1-4 with a 2.67 ERA in that span.
"Everybody is working hard," he said. "We're just having a tough time this year, not just hitting. We're having a tough time pitching, at times, defense. It's been a tough year all around."
Said Giants manager Bruce Bochy: "He's as tough a competitor as you can find. He's disappointed not to win, but he goes back out there and gives it all he has."
San Francisco, which has scored the third fewest runs in the majors, stranded 11 base runners and was 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position. In Monday's 4-1 loss to San Diego, the Giants left seven men on base after going 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
"It's been an issue for a while," Bochy said. "It reared its head again."
San Francisco catcher Buster Posey was pinch hit for in the seventh after he ripped the nail on his right hand on a wild pitch thrown by Bumgarner in the sixth inning.
Posey shook his right hand after Bumgarner's pitch in the dirt and spent a couple of minutes being attended to by a trainer before he stayed in the game and completed the inning.
"(The pitch) may have hit the lip of home plate," said Posey, the reigning NL MVP. "I can throw the ball fine, but I really didn't try to grip the bat."
Nick Hundley drew a leadoff walk in the seventh from rookie reliever Jake Dunning, who was called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Fresno. Ronnie Cedeno followed with a single to send Hundley to third and bring on reliever Javier Lopez.
Denorfia lined a 1-2 pitch to left for the single that broke a 2-all tie.
Dunning (0-2), who made his major league debut in June, took the loss. Tim Stauffer (3-1) got the win with 1 2-3 innings of shutout ball.
Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 27 chances.
Defending World Series champion San Francisco (61-77) dropped into last place in the NL West, one game behind San Diego.
Giants center fielder Angel Pagan had a single, double and triple heading into his final at-bat in the ninth, when he struck out.
San Diego took a 2-0 lead in the fifth following a leadoff double by Kyle Blanks and Hundley's one-out double. After Cedeno was walked intentionally, rookie pitcher Robbie Erlin drove in the second run with a bloop single. It was Erlin's first major league hit and RBI.
The Giants tied it in the sixth. After consecutive singles by Brandon Belt and Posey to start the inning, Pedro Sandoval and Joaquin Arias followed with consecutive RBI singles with one out.
Erlin allowed two runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked two.
NOTES: San Francisco RHP Heath Hembree made his major league debut with one inning of perfect relief. ... Padres rookie RHP Burch Smith will start on Friday against Colorado. Smith, who was recalled from Triple-A Tucson on Monday, is 0-1 with an 18.41 ERA in three starts earlier this season with San Diego. ... Giants RHP Tim Lincecum (8-13, 4.38 ERA) opposes Padres LHP Eric Stults (8-12, 3.81) in the series finale Wednesday.
