Bumgarner could make relief appearance in Game 6 on 1 day's rest

Pitch counts are just numbers to Madison Bumgarner. Apparently, so are rest days.

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy was asked whether the lefty would be available out of the bullpen for Game 6 after Bumgarner threw 117 pitches during a complete-game shutout Sunday. Bochy didn't say no.

"He's going to say, 'Hey, if you need me at any point (Tuesday), please use me,'" Bochy told reporters Monday. "He's done that before. He really bounces back well, and we wouldn't ask him to do a lot, but if I needed to get an out or something, I'm sure he'll say he's available."

Bumgarner's Game 5 masterpiece inched the Giants closer to their third title in five years and lowered his ERA to a World Series-record 0.29. The left-hander said that he's making himself available on one day's rest for Tuesday's potential series-clincher.

"I expect Jake Peavy to throw a shutout," he said. "That's what I expect. But we'll be ready for anything."

When asked what kind of workload he might be able to shoulder, Bumgarner didn't bite.

"I'm not a big pitch-count guy," he said. "So as long as you keep getting outs and feel good, you should stay out there."

The Giants' ace last pitched out of the bullpen during the 2010 NL Championship Series, throwing two scoreless innings in San Francico's 3-2 Game 6 win over Philadelphia.

Bochy, who previously suggested Bumgarner would be available on short rest for a potential Game 7, said the lefty is wired differently.

"There are times when he's taken his bullpen on (his second rest day)," the Giants skipper said. "That's who he is."