|
 Bumgarner conceded just five hits in eight innings, and catcher
Buster Posey drove in two runs to give the Giants a 2-1 victory over
the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of 50,161 at Dodger Stadium.
"It's going to bring out the best in you, for sure. I mean, there's
no way around that," Bumgarner said about facing left-hander Clayton
Kershaw, the Dodgers ace who last year became the second pitcher in
NL history to win both awards.
Bumgarner (2-1) also amassed a season-high nine strikeouts while
permitting only one walk and one run in outpitching Kershaw.
"He was on top of his game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of
Bumgarner. "He hit all his spots. All his pitches were working for
him, and he really used both sides of the plate."
Bumgarner, the Most Valuable Player in last year's World Series,
attributed his performance to improved mechanics.
"The delivery was better," said Bumgarner, who emerged with a
no-decision when he squared off with Kershaw on April 22. "I felt
good mechanically. If I had given up six runs, I would've told you
the same thing."
Kershaw (1-2) collected eight strikeouts in seven innings and did
not issue a walk while allowing two runs on seven hits.
"He had a really nice game," Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis. "It's tough
with all the familiarity; there really are no secrets between the
teams. But he did what we ask all our starters to do: give us a
chance to win the game."
Posey had a run-scoring single and a solo home run while going
2-for-4. Shortstop Joaquin Arias went 3-for-3 with a stolen base to
lead the Giants' 10-hit attack.
Right-hander Santiago Casilla earned his sixth save by pitching a
perfect ninth inning and striking out pinch hitter Adrian Gonzalez
to end the game.
The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With two outs,
center fielder Angel Pagan hit a double off the top of the left
field wall and scored when Posey lined a single into right field.
In the fourth, Posey pounded Kershaw's first pitch of the inning, a
92 mph fastball, into the center field stands for his third home run
of the season to give San Francisco a 2-0 lead.
"There are a lot of these down-to-the-wire games where it comes down
to making pitches and maybe one big swing," Ellis said. "Tonight,
Buster was in charge of putting a big swing on a pitch."
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After Posey's homer, Kershaw retired 11 of the next 12 batters he
faced through the seventh inning, including eight Giants in
succession.
Los Angeles put the potential tying runs in scoring position with no
outs in the fourth. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins led off with a single
and moved to third base on center fielder Enrique Hernandez's double
to center field.
After Bumgarner struck out first baseman Justin Turner, second
baseman Howie Kendrick hit into a fielder's choice that brought
Rollins home.
In the fifth, Ellis represented the potential tying run at second
base after he walked with two outs and advanced when Kershaw reached
base on Arias' throwing error. However, Bumgarner ended the threat
by inducing Rollins to ground out.
NOTES: Giants 2B Joe Panik, a left-handed hitter, got the night off
against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw. Matt Duffy, a right-handed
hitter, started at second base. Panik appeared as a pinch hitter in
the ninth inning and grounded out. ... Giants SS Joaquin Arias
replaced regular SS Brandon Crawford in the lineup. Crawford is in a
2-for-17 slump. ... Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez did not start for the
first time this season. ... Los Angeles OF Carl Crawford went on the
15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle. The
Dodgers recalled INF Enrique Hernandez from Triple-A Oklahoma City
and started him in center field. Hernandez, 23, was part of a
seven-player trade that sent 2B Dee Gordon to the Miami Marlins in
December. ... Former Dodgers OF Kirk Gibson announced Tuesday that
he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
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