The smallest of managerial moves and a whole lot of Madison Bumgarner helped the San Francisco Giants avoid getting swept at Citi Field on Sunday.
Bumgarner pitched six shutout innings to outduel Noah Syndergaard, and Hunter Pence turned around a 98-mph fastball for a two-run home run in a 6-1 victory over the New York Mets, ending the Mets’ eight-game winning streak.
The Giants found the flaw in Thor’s breastplate, taking advantage of Syndergaard’s deliberate delivery to steal four bases against the Mets without getting caught — something they hadn’t done in almost four years.
And one subtle jump on a base they didn’t steal made all the difference.
Buster Posey, who is something less than a burner, ran from first base with the pitch as Brandon Belt batted with runners at the corners with one out in the fourth inning. So Belt’s roller to second base resulted in an RBI ground out instead of an inning-ending double play.
The inning continued, and Pence followed by smacking Syndergaard’s blurry fastball to the opposite field and well beyond the wall. It was Pence’s fifth home run of the season, and the first Syndergaard had allowed.
Posey added a home run for the Giants, whose victory came with a price. Angel Pagan left the game in the seventh with an apparent leg injury after he took an aggressive turn around first base on his RBI single. Gregor Blanco replaced Pagan in left field in the bottom of the inning.
Prior to the game, you could’ve argued that a rainout might have worked to the Giants’ benefit. Second baseman Joe Panik wasn’t available because of a groin injury, and Syndergaard had a 1.69 ERA, a league-best 0.77 FIP and had struck out 38 in 262⁄3 innings.
But Bumgarner (3-2) is well honed against opposing aces, having already squared off twice with the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and once against the Diamondbacks’ Zack Greinke this season.
Although Bumgarner continued to top out at 92 mph and the Mets worked him for 112 pitches in six innings, he was able to churn outs with runners on base while holding the Mets scoreless on six hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out seven, the last one coming on his final pitch — a borderline inside fastball to pinch-hitter Asdrubal Cabrera, who wailed at plate umpire Ron Kulpa.
The word is out on Syndergaard (2-1): Baserunners are 27-for-29 in steal attempts against him in his career.
Bumgarner won consecutive starts for the first time this season.
Categories: -Sports-
