Giants-Rockies Preview By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
It's been more than a month since the San Francisco Giants lost a game started by Madison Bumgarner. He beat the Colorado Rockies for the fourth straight time during that stretch. Looking to rebound from only their second defeat in 15 games, the Giants try for a seventh consecutive victory with the left-hander on the mound Saturday at Coors Field. Bumgarner (6-2, 2.17 ERA) improved to 5-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his last six starts as he allowed three hits in 7 2-3 innings of a 1-0 victory over the major league-leading Chicago Cubs on Sunday. "He competes, man, he competes," Cubs manager Joe Maddon told MLB's official website. "He's out there with one purpose. I mean, his stuff's good, don't get me wrong, but people talk about the heart. What have you got going on inside? He's got a lot." The Giants (30-20), who had a five-game winning streak snapped with Friday's 5-2 defeat, last dropped a start by Bumgarner on April 20 against Arizona when he yielded two runs in seven innings. "He's young and strong," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a great teammate. If you were selecting one player to start an organization, he's got all the attributes you'd want if you went with a pitcher." He can also hit, as evidenced by him driving in the lone run Sunday with a fifth-inning double. He has a .353 average in his last seven starts at Coors, though he has a 5.44 ERA in that span. Bumgarner went 0 for 3 at home against Colorado (23-24) on May 6, but he did strike out 10 while yielding two earned runs over 7 1/3 innings of the 6-4 victory. He's posted a 2.40 ERA in his last four starts against the Rockies. Mark Reynolds recorded three hits off Bumgarner earlier this month, and he had two Friday as Colorado won its fifth straight at home. Reynolds is batting .478 with six RBIs in seven games against the Giants this season. The best start of Eddie Butler's season came May 8 when he allowed four hits and struck out six in six innings of a 2-0 victory at San Francisco. With that performance, the right-hander improved to 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA against the Giants. Butler (2-2, 3.58) pitched a scoreless 2 2/3 innings of relief Tuesday at Boston, but he's going back in the rotation after Jorge De La Rosa was sent to the bullpen and the Rockies opted to push back Chris Rusin to Sunday. Butler, who has a 3.97 ERA in four starts, gave up an earned run in six innings of a 2-1 loss at Pittsburgh in his most recent start last Friday. "He's gotten back to being a strike-thrower," manager Walt Weiss said. "Getting in good counts makes a world of difference." Buster Posey is 0 for 9 against Butler and 2 for 13 in his last four games. Brandon Belt, 3 for 5 against Butler, could be available after sitting Friday with a sprained ankle. Hunter Pence (hamstring) also could return to the lineup for the first time since last Friday. Nolan Arenado and DJ LeMahieu are a combined 9 for 54 against Bumgarner. |