Bumgarner's outing derailed by one swing

SAN FRANCISCO -- One pitch, exactly where Madison Bumgarner wanted to put it, and it still cost him and the Giants.

Bumgarner was cruising along through six innings. He got into trouble in the seventh, giving up a three-run home run to Clint Barmes.

"He got enough of it to get it out," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Bum threw great. They just got the big hit."

The result was the Giants' third straight loss, a 3-1 setback to the National League Central-leading Pirates on Friday night at AT&T Park.

"It seems like thay are able to make adjustments," Bumgarner said. "I thought I made a good pitch. It was pretty much right where I wanted it. He just made an adjustment. That's why they are where they are."

Buster Posey and Roger Kieschnick gave the crowd of 41,583 something to cheer in the fourth. Posey doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Kieschnick singled into shallow left field.

"We only had the one run," Bochy said. "That's not really much of a margin for error. They put together some good at bats that one inning."

The way Bumgarner was pitching, it looked as though that might be enough. He did not allow more than one baserunner through the first six innings.

San Francisco, though, was facing a team that looks a lot like the 2012 Giants. Down a run against a good pitcher into the later innings? No worries.

"We all want to win," Bumgarner said. "You just can't give that team a lot of runs to work with. With runners on, you just want to minimize the damage. It didn't happen right there."

Gaby Sanchrez and Josh Harrison each singled to open the seventh and after Neil Walker sacrificed both runners along, Barmes hit his fourth home run of the year.

"I was looking in, just trying to get at least the lead guy home," Barmes said. "I was able to drop the barrel of the bat on the ball and drive it."

Bumgarner allowed the three runs on seven hits over eight innings. He walked four and struck out five.

The Giants have lost Bumgarner's past four starts, yet while he was pitching, they have only been outscored by an 11-9 margin.

Though he's 1-3 over his past six starts, Bumgarner has posted a 3.60 ERA during that span. His overall winning percentage of .579 is significantly higher than the team's overall winning percentage of .438.

Bumgarner's 2.84 ERA this season is not reflected in his 11-8 record. He has 19 quality starts, but he's just not getting the same breaks that made him a world beater in 2010 and again in 2012.

The same thing could be said of Posey, who doubled and hit the ball hard all night. He sent Andrew McCutchen to the wall in center field leading off the ninth. Posey is hitting .301 on the year and will likely be in the lineup Saturday at first base.

The Giants are 11-21 since July 21 and 3-8 in one-run games over that span. One pitch, one swing of the bat and that could all be different.

It was the way things went in their championship seasons, and it's the way things are going for the Pirates this year.