LDN - Sports

Bumgarner homers as Giants outslug Mets

[August 19, 2016] SAN FRANCISCO -- Move over, Hal Jeffcoat. Madison Bumgarner is joining you in the record book.

Whether he wants to or not.

Bumgarner came to his own rescue with a two-run home run to cap a five-run fourth inning Thursday night, helping the San Francisco Giants outslug the New York Mets 10-7 in the opener of a four-game series.

Eduardo Nunez had four hits and three RBIs for the Giants (67-54), who moved seven games ahead of the Mets (60-61) in the National League wild-card race while also edging within a half-game of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers (67-53) in the NL West.

Bumgarner's third homer of the season came in the bottom of the fourth after he served up a grand slam to Mets center fielder Justin Ruggiano in the top of the inning.

Bumgarner became just the second pitcher ever to give up a grand slam and hit a home run in the same inning, matching a feat Jeffcoat achieved as a member of the Cincinnati Reglegs in 1957.

"I'd just as soon not be a part of that one," Bumgarner said.

Down 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, the Giants, who entered the game on a four-game losing streak, responded immediately against Mets starter Jacob deGrom.

Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford singled, Hunter Pence got the Giants on the board with a single of his own, and Nunez tripled home a pair to close the gap to 4-3.

One out later, Bumgarner put the Giants on top for good when he took deGrom into the first row of the left field bleachers for a 5-4 lead.

"For whatever reason, I was seeing the ball better today," said Bumgarner, whose homer was the 14th of his career, tops among active pitchers.

The Giants increased the margin to 8-4 in the fifth inning on singles by Crawford and Pence, an RBI single by Nunez and a two-run double by Joe Panik.

DeGrom (7-6) was pulled after the fifth, having been roughed up for season highs in runs (eight) and hits (13). His ERA, fifth best in baseball entering the game at 2.30, ballooned to 2.73. He walked one and struck out five.

"I haven't seen him pitch like this ever," Mets manager Terry Collins said of deGrom. "You can't pitch right down the middle. He didn't have command of his stuff.

"You've got to say to yourself, 'You've got a four-run lead with Jake deGrom, your chances of winning the game are good.' (The lead went away) very quickly, before we could blink."

DeGrom added, "I was bad; it's one of those nights. These guys did a good job scoring runs for me, and I couldn't hold a lead."

Bumgarner (12-7) also turned the ball over to the bullpen after five innings. His ERA, the second best in the majors at the game's first pitch, went from 2.11 to 2.25 after he allowed four runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out six.

"I don't think that's how either of us had it drawn up," Bumgarner said of the expected pitchers' duel. "But we'll take it for sure. It's not about throwing shutouts."

The Mets rallied within 8-7 with a three-run sixth, getting a two-run triple from Ty Kelly and a run-scoring infield out from pinch hitter Rene Rivera.

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Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) run the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the fourth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

However, Giants relievers Will Smith, Derek Law, Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla shut the door from there, limiting the Mets to three hits in the final three scoreless innings.

Casilla worked a one-hit ninth for his 28th save.

"We took a pretty good punch there," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of the early deficit. "I like the way we punched back."

The Giants padded the lead in the eighth on a two-run double by Posey off Addison Reed.

"We've been creating opportunities; we haven't cashed in," Bochy said of an offense that has produced 36 runs in the past six games. "You keep doing it, it's going to happen."

Crawford and Denard Span had three hits apiece for the Giants, who won for just the second time in seven games on their current homestand.

Bumgarner, Panik and Posey drove in two runs each.

Ruggiano, reinstated from the disabled list earlier in the day, finished with three hits and two runs for the Mets, who fell for the 20th time in 33 games since the All-Star break.

Kelly had two hits and two RBIs, and T.J. Rivera and Travis d'Arnaud added a pair of hits apiece for New York.

The Giants out-hit the Mets 17-13.

NOTES: LHP Madison Bumgarner's third home run of the season moved him into a tie for the major league lead among pitchers with Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard. ... The home run allowed to a pitcher by Mets RHP Jacob deGrom was just the second of his career. Chicago Cubs LHP Travis Wood hit the other in 2014. ... The win was the 1,769th of Bruce Bochy's managerial career, tying him for 15th place on the all-time list with Jim Leyland. ... The Mets scratched LHP Steven Matz from Friday's scheduled start because of shoulder soreness. RHP Seth Lugo will take his place. ... The Giants placed RHP Matt Cain (sore lower back) on the 15-day disabled list and reinstated RHP Cory Gearrin from the DL. ... The Mets reinstated OF Justin Ruggiano (strained left hamstring) from the DL and demoted RHP Gabriel Ynoa to Triple-A Las Vegas. ... Mets manager Terry Collins disclosed before the game that he plans to activate LF Yoenis Cespedes (strained right quad) and SS Asdrubal Cabrera (strained left knee) from the DL on Friday.

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