Advertisement

For fifth consecutive time, the Giants fail to win a Madison Bumgarner start against the Dodgers

Giants ace Madison Bumgarner says losing to the Dodgers is not more upsetting since he takes all losses hard.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)
Share

When all else fails, the San Francisco Giants turn to Madison Bumgarner.

When that fails, well …

For the third time in three tries this season — and for the fifth consecutive time over the last 12 months — the Giants started their ace against the Dodgers and lost the game.

“I don’t get concerned about that, not at all,” San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy said. “There’s nobody tougher than Bum.”

On Tuesday, in the opener of a critical three-game series, the Giants turned to Bumgarner. He lasted five innings and gave up a season-high five earned runs, and the Dodgers rolled to a 9-5 victory.

Advertisement

“Obviously, he wasn’t Bum-like,” Bochy said.

The Dodgers increased their National League West lead over the Giants to two games. The Dodgers have gained 10 games on the Giants since Clayton Kershaw last pitched.

Bumgarner reviewed his start as “just a rough one tonight” and said he would not be more upset about losing to the Dodgers than he would have been about losing to any other team.

“No matter who it is, I don’t want that to happen,” he said. “It doesn’t make much difference what team it is. You’re not going to take some losses better than others.”

In his three starts against the Dodgers this season, Bumgarner has averaged 5 1/3 innings pitched and given up 4.3 runs. In his other 24 starts, he has averaged seven innings and given up 1.9 runs.

“I think I would tend to think that’s a random three-game stretch right now,” he said. “If that continues, maybe there’s something.”

Advertisement