CHICAGO -- Exhibit A in defense of the Giants' quality of play is the defense itself.
San Francisco's 16-29 record since the All-Star break entering Sunday remains the Major Leagues' worst. But the club's franchise-record 17-game errorless streak, which ended Saturday when first baseman Brandon Belt dropped a popup, demonstrates its lingering skill.
"With what we've been going through with some of our struggles, we've played very well defensively," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday. "That means they're keeping their focus and playing very hard."
They're also playing very properly by not letting their sagging offense affect their defense.
"You don't take [poor hitting] out there defensively. You separate the two," Bochy said. "These guys have done an unbelievable job of that."
Bochy singled out the adaptability of infielder Eduardo Núñez, who made fewer than half of his appearances at third base for the Twins before they traded him to the Giants on July 28. Nunez, said Bochy, has adjusted nicely to playing exclusively third base with San Francisco.
"He's making athletic plays, forehand as well as backhand," Bochy said. "And he has a strong arm. I really like the way he's playing third base."
Worth noting
• Madison Bumgarner's 10-strikeout, zero-walk performance Saturday was the 10th of his career in which he reached double digits in strikeouts without walking a batter, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Tim Lincecum ranks second in franchise history with five such games. In case you're wondering, the great Juan Marichal pitched four zero-walk, 10-or-more strikeout games -- though he had 10 with double-digit strikeouts in which he walked one and four with two walks.
• Bochy said that the Giants currently have no plans to bring aboard more players from Triple-A Sacramento, which ends its season Monday.