|
 Turns out, that was all right-hander Chase Anderson needed.
Focusing more on winning than history, Anderson took a no-hitter
into the seventh inning and combined with two relievers on a two-hit
shutout, lifting the Diamondbacks to a 1-0 victory over the Giants
in the opener of a three-game series.
"I like pressure situations. I've always thrived off of that,"
Anderson insisted. "You focus on each pitch. You go pitch-to-pitch,
and that helps me out."
Facing the Giants for the first time in his two-year career, the
27-year-old lost a no-hitter on catcher Buster Posey's infield hit
with one out in the seventh.
It was the only hit Anderson allowed in seven innings en route to
his first win since May 20. He hasn't lost since April 27, an
eight-game stretch during which he's gotten a no-decision six times.
Anderson outpitched Bumgarner, who lost for the first time since May
9.
"I just wanted to give the team a chance to win," Anderson assured.
"I knew it was going to be a good game with Bumgarner pitching."
Left fielder Ender Inciarte drove in the only run of the game with a
two-out single in the second inning. Anderson entered the game
having received the fifth-fewest average run support (2.85 runs per
game) in the National League.
"These guys are doing the best they can," Anderson noted. "I'm just
focused on doing my job. You look up there and we have just one run.
That keeps you more focused."
The win was the Diamondbacks' first in four games on their current
eight-game trip. They had lost four in a row overall.
"I think they realize it," Arizona manager Chip Hale said of the
club's lack of support for Anderson. "You hear a lot of talk. ...
'Let's get him some runs.' Actually, he has pitched better when we
don't score."
Anderson (2-1) had allowed only three baserunners -- hitting third
baseman Matt Duffy twice and walking Bumgarner -- through 6 1/3
innings before Posey lined a one-hopper off the pitcher's right
calf. The ball deflected toward the third-base line, allowing Posey
to record his single without a throw.
"I wish it had gone to somebody," Anderson said with a smile. "Maybe
if I had turned a little bit more, it would have gone to somebody."
Diamondbacks trainer Ken Crenshaw checked out Anderson and allowed
him to continue. He went on to retire the next two batters he faced
to complete the seventh inning before turning the ball over to the
Arizona bullpen in the eighth.
Right-handers Daniel Hudson and Brad Ziegler pitched a scoreless
inning apiece, with Ziegler recording his seventh save with a 1-2-3
ninth.
The closest the Giants came to scoring occurred before they recorded
their first hit.
After Anderson hit Duffy for the first time, he issued a one-out
walk to Bumgarner to put two aboard.
Left fielder Nori Aoki then hit a liner apparently destined for left
field, but Diamondbacks third baseman Aaron Hill leaped to snatch
it. He then doubled off Duffy at second to kill the threat.
"That's just reaction," Hill said of the snag. "It was good
positioning. It came right at me."
The base-running gaffe was the first of two for Duffy, who led off
the eighth against Hudson with a single.
After reaching second on a wild pitch, Duffy got caught straying too
far off the base on a hard one-hopper to Arizona second baseman
Chris Owings. Duffy got caught in a rundown between second and
third, and was tagged out by Hill.
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Hudson then retired Aoki on a grounder to first to end the inning,
before Ziegler was called upon for the ninth.
"One run ... You think you're going to find a way to get a run,"
Giants manager Bruce Bochy lamented. "We just couldn't."
Bumgarner (7-3) was the hard-luck loser, allowing only one run in
eight innings. He allowed nine hits -- all in the first five innings
-- and three walks, and struck out seven.
The loss snapped Bumgarner's four-game winning streak. The nine hits
allowed were one fewer than his season high.
"You can't take a single pitch off because of the way the night's
going," Bumgarner said. "It's not fun at the time, but the personal
results, you feel as good about this start as any of them."
Castillo had three of Arizona's 11 hits, including its only
extra-base hit of the night, a double. Hill and first baseman Paul
Goldschmidt contributed a pair of hits apiece.
The Diamondbacks stranded 11 baserunners in the game.
The loss was the Giants' sixth in a row at home. It came on the
heels of a 4-2 trip in the opener of a five-game homestand.
As opposed to his counterpart, Bumgarner struggled through the early
going. He allowed two hits in each of the first, second, third and
fifth innings but pitched out of all but one of the jams unscathed.
The Diamondbacks got on the scoreboard in the second, with a
sacrifice bunt by Anderson contributing. Inciarte's two-out single
drove in catcher Welington Castillo, who had singled and advanced on
the bunt.
Arizona stranded eight baserunners in the first five innings.
NOTES: Before the game, the Giants placed RF Hunter Pence on the
15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 3. Pence hasn't played
since June 2 because of a sore left wrist. ... RHP Michael Broadway
was promoted from Triple-A Sacramento to fill Pence's spot on the
roster. ... The Giants' six-game home losing streak is their longest
since a seven-gamer in 2008. ... Giants 2B Joe Panik went 0-for-4,
ending his 15-game hitting streak. ... Diamondbacks RHP Chase
Anderson became the 14th pitcher in franchise history to throw six
no-hit innings to start a game. ... Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale
announced after the game that RHP Josh Collmenter, who is 3-6 with a
5.24 ERA this season, has been demoted to the bullpen. RHP Allen
Webster will be recalled from Triple-A Reno to start in Collmenter's
place Saturday. ... The Diamondbacks took three of four from the
Giants in San Francisco in April. Arizona has not won consecutive
series from the Giants since 2011.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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