After Bumgarner's eventful exit, Giants fall

MIAMI -- Relief pitching had been the cornerstone of the Giants' recent surge, but in a 7-5 loss Monday that opened a four-game series with the Marlins, it was their undoing.
Sam Dyson (2-1) gave up the go-ahead runs to back-to-back hitters in the seventh inning and suffered the loss. He yielded a run-scoring double that tied the game at 5 and then was jolted by a two-run homer from J.T. Realmuto, who went 3-for-4, scored three runs and drove in two more. Miami's catcher was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

"They've been used a lot," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy about his bullpen. "I'm a little concerned there. I've been using them a lot lately. Hopefully we'll get some length in a couple of these games here. I've got some guys that need a break tomorrow."
The Giants bullpen over the previous 10 games, eight of those victories, had combined for a 1.13 ERA. Entering the game, Dyson had teamed up with four other relievers for zero earned runs over the last 20 innings, giving up just eight hits while striking out 24.
In his second start of the season, Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner went 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits. For the first three innings he looked to have returned to form, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced. Throw in a 1-2-3 fifth inning and the left-hander appeared to be in command.

But it was a two-run fourth and another two-run sixth that were his undoing, though not because he lost command.
"They hit good pitches," Giants catcher Nick Hundley said. "Brian Anderson hit a cutter down and away for an oppo homer that was really impressive. I thought he threw the ball good. He was really forced into a high pitch count."
Bumgarner threw 91 pitches (50 strikes).
He was ejected for the first time in his career after being taken out for a reliever in the sixth inning. On his way off the mound, Bumgarner had words with home-plate umpire Jeremie Rehak, who promptly gave him the boot.
"There were just a lot of borderline pitches that I didn't get," Bumgarner said. "Obviously when I'm out of the game, then you can let a little bit of it out."
Bumgarner said he could tell that Rehak was looking to toss him.
"I gave him some incentive [to do it]," Bumgarner said.
He had just given up a 4-2 lead in the inning, allowing the Marlins to tie it. He exited the game with runners at first and second and only one out. The Giants got out of the inning with no further damage when reliever Reyes Moronta induced Miguel Rojas to hit a line drive to second baseman Alen Hanson, who doubled off Lewis Brinson at first base to end the inning. But his bullpen mate could not hold a 5-4 lead in the seventh.

Bumgarner (0-1), who missed the first two-plus months with a broken pinkie finger on his pitching hand, got no decision in the game.
"That's a game that we should have won," he said. "I let it get away from me, let them back in it. I've got to do better."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With the Giants leading, 1-0, and Bumgarner cruising through three hitless innings, Marlins right fielder Anderson tied the game with an opposite-field home run to lead off the fourth inning and waking up Miami's bats.
"That pitch to Anderson was a pretty dang good pitch," Bumgarner said. "It was impressive that he put that kind of swing on it, drive it that way like he did."

The Marlins, bats awakened, took a 2-1 lead in the inning, added a two-run sixth and won it with three runs in the seventh.
SOUND SMART
With the loss, the Giants are now 22-5 when scoring five or more runs in a game.
"You take your chances," said Bochy. "You get five runs. But it didn't happen tonight. This game is about pitching."
HE SAID IT
"My stuff is good enough to get people out right now. I've just got to execute. That's it, just didn't do that tonight." -- Bumgarner, on his second start of the 2018 season
UP NEXT
The Giants have won the last five games that Chris Stratton went to the mound and are 10-3 in his starts this season. The right-hander looks to continue that trend in a 4:10 p.m. PT Tuesday start. Marlins starter Trevor Richards (0-3) will be making his first career start against the Giants and will be looking for his first win in the Major Leagues.