Dual threat Bumgarner hits, pitches Giants to win
OAKLAND, Calif. - Madison Bumgarner is all for his bat starting rallies that help the San Francisco Giants win.
Especially in this case, when they were staring at the possibility of a sweep in the Bay Bridge Series.
Bumgarner pitched into the seventh to snap a two-start skid and also batted in an AL ballpark, and the Giants avoided a four-game sweep by beating the Oakland Athletics 12-6 on Thursday night.
''I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody. We're trying to win ballgames,'' Bumgarner said. ''That's all I care about. I don't care what anybody says or thinks about it. I care about these guys, I care about our fans. ... I want to be as good a baseball player as I can be, not just a pitcher. In this league you've got to hit. You can change the outcome of the game sometimes.''
Brandon Belt had four RBIs and hit a go-ahead two-run double in the third ahead of Buster Posey's ninth home run. Bumgarner helped start the rally with a leadoff double.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
''He got us started. He smoked that ball,'' manager Bruce Bochy said. ''We needed something to ignite this offense. He did it.''
Bumgarner (9-4) was given the option by Bochy to bat himself rather than the Giants using a designated hitter, and of course the big lefty chose to swing the bat. He had lost two straight starts following seven consecutive winning decisions.
"It definitely doesn't happen a lot anymore, so it's pretty cool to do that," Bumgarner said. "It definitely had a lot to do with the shape our team's in right now, but at the same time, it’s a really cool experience."
Bumgarner allowed four runs and seven hits, struck out four and didn't walk a batter in 6 1/3 innings. The two home runs allowed matched his most for the season, also done Opening Day at Milwaukee on April 4. He hasn't lost three straight starts since June 27-July 8, 2014, during his spectacular World Series MVP season.