Puig first appeared to shout back, “What?” and then seemed to say, “What are you going to do to me?”
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Bumgarner, after blasting through the Dodgers’ lineup for 7 innings in under 100 pitches, easily seemed physically able to go at least one more inning-and reducing the bullpen responsibility by at least 50% or more. “We manufactured a run”. This is the third time Puig and Bumgarner have gotten into it, but hasn’t happened since 2014. New York, which is 20-8 since August 20, entered Monday one game ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the race for the NL’s top wild card and two games ahead of the third-place St. Louis Cardinals. This led to the benches being cleared and Bumgarner being pulled from the game. Both teams are a game behind the team holding the top wild-card spot, the New York Mets (80-70).
“I mean you don’t ever want to come out of the game, but at the same time you’ve got to be smart about it”, Bumgarner said.
Porcello (21-4), the major league leader in wins, allowed four hits and no walks while striking out seven. The three-time NL Cy Young Award victor retired seven in a row before leaving. In his first start against LA, he allowed five runs in the first inning. They now sit six games behind the Dodgers for the NL West lead, with five more to play against their rivals, in the season’s 12 remaining games.
The Dodgers improved to 5-55 this season when trailing after eight innings. The Astros won the first game of this season.
Culberson had a Dodgers clubhouse attendant deliver the shirt to the Giants’ side, and when Bumgarner was not there to receive it, amused Giants players hung it at Bumgarner’s locker. Manager Dave Roberts said LHP Scott Kazmir (neck inflammation) shouldn’t be affected by a finger blister that he developed Sunday in a simulated game.
As expected, the series opener featuring two of the best pitchers in baseball was nothing short of a nail biter. The previous record of 237 strikeouts was set all the way back in 1911 when the team was located in NY by Hall of Fame LHP Rube Marquad, who reached the mark in 277.2 innings.
With the win, the Dodgers sit six games up on the Giants and see their magic number fall to seven.
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Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (16-5, 2.86 ERA) has a 1.69 ERA in his last three starts against the Dodgers.
