|
 And that they did.
Venable rallied the Padres from a 2-0 deficit in the eighth inning
with a two-run double, and Amarista produced a tiebreaking single in
the 11th, lifting San Diego to a 3-2 victory in the opener of a
three-game series.
In winning for just the third time in nine games, the Padres came
off the mat against Bumgarner, who recorded a career-best 14
strikeouts.
"This is my first go-round," Padres manager Pat Murphy joked
afterward. "That guy's had some success?"
It was no laughing matter when Murphy was ejected in the eighth
inning with his team down two runs to the reigning World Series Most
Valuable Player.
Two pitches later, Venable, who entered the game as a defensive
replacement in the sixth inning, tied the game with his double.
"A lot of people did a lot of good things for us today," Venable
said. "That's how we have to play."
The loss denied the Giants (38-34) a chance to move into a
first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers (39-33) in the National
League West.
Catcher Derek Norris triggered the game-winning uprising against
right-hander Hunter Strickland (0-1), the sixth Giants pitcher, with
a one-out double in the 11th.
Norris advanced to third on a single by left fielder Justin Upton,
then raced home when Amarista's potential double-play grounder up
the middle deflected off Strickland's glove and into short right
field.
"Felt great," Murphy said of the first major league victory of his
career that he was able to watch from the clubhouse. "The guys
battled the way they did. The pitching was great all game. Team win.
"Some luck ... we needed some of that."
Right-hander Brandon Maurer (5-0), the fifth Padres pitcher, got the
win after holding the Giants hitless in the ninth and 10th innings.
Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched around a one-out walk in the 11th for
his 18th save, sealing San Diego's fifth win in eight meetings with
the defending World Series champs this season.
"We're trying to build some kind of streak," Venable said. "To do
that, we just have to go out and play a good ballgame. That's what
we're thinking right now."
The Giants' 10th loss in their past 11 home games was decided well
after Bumgarner was pulled from a 2-2 tie.
"Tough one to lose," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "Bum
threw so well again. We've got to find a way to get this offense
clicking."
Bumgarner took a three-hit shutout into the eighth inning, but the
Padres denied the Giants ace a win with an uprising that was
interrupted by two ejections.
Venable's two-run double was the big hit of the inning, scoring
first baseman Yonder Alonso and third baseman Will Middlebrooks and
ending Bumgarner's night. It was just the left-handed-hitting
Venable's fifth hit all season against a lefty pitcher.
The hit came after Murphy got thrown out for the first time in his
career for arguing a check-swing strike call with plate umpire
Fieldin Culbreth. San Diego right fielder Matt Kemp also got ejected
when he got into it with first base umpire Jim Reynolds, who hadn't
participated in the call.
[to top of second column] |
"Did it work? Then it was tactical," Murphy said of the ejection,
which caused a delay while Bumgarner cooled off on the mound. "You
try to support your players. If it looked like (I was intentionally
delaying the game), so be it."
Trying to get a six-game Giants homestand off to a successful start,
Bumgarner got a no-decision. He allowed the two runs on five hits in
7 1/3 innings.
His 14 strikeouts, nine of which came in the first four innings,
were one better than his previous career high, set twice, including
once against the Padres on Sept. 5, 2011.
"I don't care if I strike a lot of guys out," Bumgarner said. "Today
was just like that."
He walked just one, Alonso, to open the fateful eighth.
Padres starter Odrisamer Despaigne also did not factor in the
decision despite a strong effort.
The Giants nemesis, who allowed only one earned run in his previous
24 2/3 innings against San Francisco, was pulled after five innings,
having allowed two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out
two.
Middlebrooks had two of San Diego's eight hits. The Padres out-hit
the Giants 8-7.
The Giants' runs against Despaigne came in the fifth, an inning that
featured doubles by third baseman Matt Duffy and second baseman Joe
Panik.
Left fielder Gregor Blanco, moved up to the leadoff spot in a lineup
change made shortly before game time, had two hits, two walks and an
RBI to lead the Giants' attack.
NOTES: The Giants announced after the game that LF Nori Aoki, who
had been in their initial starting lineup, was diagnosed in the
early evening with a fractured lower right leg. He will be placed on
the disabled list Wednesday. ... The Giants experienced another
setback when RHP Sergio Romo had to be removed from the game in the
ninth inning with a sprained left ankle. ... The Giants activated
RHP Jean Machi (strained left groin) from the 15-day disabled list
before the game and sent RHP Mike Broadway to Triple-A Sacramento.
... Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner struck out 10 or more for the 22nd
time in his career. His 14 strikeouts tied the Giants' West Coast
record for a left-hander, equally a feat achieved previously by
Atlee Hammaker. ... The come-from-behind win was the Padres' 17th of
the season.
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