Giants romp to back Bumgarner's 1st win

July 26th, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants' offense refused to allow another start to end in a loss. Behind a showering of offensive support, the Giants ace picked up his first win of the season Tuesday when the Giants routed the Pirates, 11-3. Bumgarner (1-4) spun five innings of one-run ball in his third start since returning from the disabled list after the All-Star break.
"It's nice to be on the board now, individually," Bumgarner said. "But that's not what it's about. It's about us winning games."
Joe Panik tallied three RBIs, had three hits and tacked on two RBIs in San Francisco's second win in the last six games. The Giants gave Bumgarner 10 runs of support, matching his combined run support over his first six starts. Six Giants drove in runs to contribute to the team's second-highest single-game scoring total at home this year. San Francisco had 13 against Minnesota on June 11.
"It is nice, especially in this ballpark," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Throughout the lineup, somebody did something to contribute."

Nunez departed the game in the fifth, hugging Bochy and his teammates before exiting down the tunnel. The Giants announced after the game that they had traded Nunez to the Red Sox for right-handed pitching prospects Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos.
The Pirates' loss snapped their seven-game winning streak at AT&T Park and put them back below .500, at 50-51. The Bucs now trail the National League Central-leading Brewers by 3 1/2 games in the division race, as Milwaukee beat Washington, 8-0, on Tuesday.
The Giants laced starter for a career-high 10 runs (nine earned) in three-plus innings. Taillon's start was his shortest this season. But the Bucs received three innings of scoreless ball from beginning in the fifth inning to give the bullpen a break.
"Major League hitters, these guys, these veteran hitters, they made him work," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Taillon. "They laid off. They didn't chase. They were hunting stuff up and all over. They got a few of those. That's always going to be the challenge with a player who's coming back for a second year."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Not too fast: The Pirates opted to intentionally walk Giants shortstop -- loading the bases -- in the third before San Francisco cashed in. The walk did its job when popped out, but Panik made the Pirates pay, roping a two-out triple to right-center and scoring Nunez, Posey and Crawford for a six-run cushion.

"You're one pitch away all the time," Taillon said. "Runners in scoring position, runners on, really always one quality pitch away. I didn't make it and he got a big hit."
Nunez's last at-bat: Nunez made his last at-bat as a Giant count. After successive singles to open the fourth, the third baseman doubled off the base of the right-field wall to score two runs. Pirates right fielder misplayed the ricochet when it bounced off his left foot and Nunez advanced to third, later scoring on 's double.

QUOTABLE
"They didn't waste any time, they didn't foul much off and kind of just got to working. [They] had a merry-go-round going." -- Taillon, on the Giants' offense
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The Pirates unsuccessfully challenged 's steal of third base in the third. Bucs catcher threw to third where tried to apply the tag but failed to do so before Span's left foot swiped the outer half of the base. A review determined the call stands.

WHAT'S NEXT
Pirates: (4-4, 4.74 ERA) takes the mound in Wednesday's rubber game, a 3:45 p.m. ET contest. Williams has won three of his last four road starts.
Giants: San Francisco finishes its season-high 10-game homestand with a chance to capture the series. Despite his glittering strikeout-to-walk ratio, starter Jeff Samardzija's record is seven games below .500 (4-11).
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