Giants ride Bumgarner’s 11 K’s to win over Rockies
SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner looked like a pitcher ready for a playoff push Tuesday night in a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park.
Coming off a poor start against the Dodgers, Bumgarner (4-7) gave up two earned runs through six innings with three walks and 11 strikeouts. The smart money has Bumgarner being dealt to a contender before the July 31 deadline.
The Giants (34-44) got perfect relief help (nine up, nine down) from Sam Dyson, Tony Watson and Will Smith, the latter with his 21st save in 21 opportunities. Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-1), in his first game since 2016 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was the losing pitcher.
Tyler Austin hit a pinch homer for the Giants in the seventh inning off Bryan Shaw, his seventh, while Ian Desmond hit a solo shot in the fourth inning, his 11th of the season.
The Rockies got their second run off Bumgarner in the sixth inning courtesy of two balls that could have been caught but went for doubles.
Charlie Blackmon opened the inning with a line drive to center, which Kevin Pillar struggled to track. It wasn’t an easy play and a legitimate double, but the kind of play Pillar has made before. After Bumgarner struck out Desmond and then broke Nolan Arenado’s bat on a pop to first, David Dahl lifted a pop foul to short left center.
Brandon Crawford couldn’t get to to it and when Pillar came racing in from center, left fielder Alex Dickerson gave way. The ball fell in for a bloop double, scoring Blackmon and making it 3-2.
Bumgarner struck out Ryan McMahon to end the inning, finishing a 97-pitch effort with 64 strikes.
Bumgarner helped his own cause with a two-out, line single to left against Gonzalez to drive in Crawford, making it 31.
Donovan Solano, starting at second base in place of Joe Panik, also had a two-out single to drive in a run.
Retired in order in each of the first three innings by Bumgarner, Desmond hit a solo home run to left in the fourth for the Rockies’ first run, tying the game 1-1.
The Giants scored first in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Belt.