The Giants have several top candidates for the All-Star Game, but Philadelphia may have only one representative after losing 14 of its last 17 games. The Phillies have allowed 10 runs in their last three games and four or more runs in 10 of their last 14 games. The Giants never let go of the lead.
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This was the ultimate “hey, that’s baseball” game for the Giants, who maintained a seven-game lead in the National League West. Bumgarner didn’t give up a hit until the fifth, but the Phillies got a double, single and long homer in the seventh.
A single by pinch-hitter Buster Posey and one-out walk to Joe Panik loaded the bases for Belt, whose towering blast to the deepest part of the ballpark in right-center field landed on the warning track for a double, easily allowing all three Giants baserunners to score and produce a 4-2 lead.
Imagine his surprise when left fielder Tyler Goeddel caught a sinking liner from Brandon Crawford, doubling off Panik at second base and effectively snuffing out the Giants’ best chance to get Madison Bumgarner off the hook in a 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night. He dominated us the first six innings. His eighth-inning read cost him.
“It’s nice to beat a guy like Bumgarner”, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. A slow roller, and Pena doesn’t play a lot of third base. “I don’t know if you do feel it”.
The Phils got two runs back in the eighth, with Freddy Galvis driving in Maikel Franco and Peter Bourjos drawing a bases-loaded walk to score Cameron Rupp.
Panik has turned into one of the team’s best baserunners, and earlier, he flew from first to third on a sharp grounder to right, making a ideal read and reaching without a throw. He’s just 1-6 with a 6.55 ERA and is the guy most likely to lose his starting spot if Hellickson is still around next week.
“They’ve done it so many times, it’s not like they’re feeling any pressure up there”, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of his club’s hitting in clutch situations. He allowed seven hits and two walks in his seven innings, striking out four.
Before stepping in against Zach Eflin, the Giants were hitting.329 and averaging almost seven runs a game in their last 10 contests. The 26-year-old has fared well at home with a 4-1 record in eight starts to go with a 1.79 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and.193 batting average against. He gave up five hits, walked one and struck out seven in 61/3 innings. On Saturday night they lost one they probably should have won.
Perhaps the run support gave him the boost – his Phillies squad managed to get two off Jake Peavy, who held a 1.92 ERA through his last five starts.
Madison Bumgarner hitting alert: In the second inning, Jeremy Hellickson got to 2-2 against Madison Bumgarner and then didn’t come close to throwing him a strike on the next two pitches. I’ve been pitching before some hefty crowds.
Philadelphia drew even in the fourth when Franco and Ryan Howard hit back-to-back, one-out doubles.
Span scored when Pagan beat out a chopper to short stop for an infield single and an RBI.
The Giants had beaten the Phillies in 13 of their previous 16 meetings.
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Phillies: RHP Vince Velasquez, on the disabled list with a right biceps strain since June 9, rejoined the team Friday. The Giants have won 13 of his 15 starts. Before the game, the Phillies placed RHP Andrew Bailey (strained left hamstring) on the 15-day DL and promoted RHP Edubray Ramos from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
