MadBum, Vogey continue starters' strong spring

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Madison Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong sustained the precision of the Giants' projected starting rotation in Tuesday's 3-2 Cactus League victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Bumgarner started and worked three shutout innings, continuing to build momentum for his March 31 Opening Night start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Vogelsong yielded the first run allowed by a Giants starter this spring, but was effective overall as he surrendered one run and three hits in three innings.

In 14 exhibition innings, Bumgarner, Vogelsong, Tim Hudson and Tim Lincecum have allowed eight hits and walked one batter. Their combined ERA is 0.64.

Bumgarner believed that he improved from his Cactus League debut last Friday against Milwaukee.

"My command was better," he said. "Pitches I made from the stretch felt better than they did last time. There still were balls that I left up, but nothing on a regular basis."

Vogelsong was one out away from a scoreless performance before Brandon Barnes singled and scored on Ryan Wheeler's double. Unhappy with his curveball in his previous outing, Vogelsong said that he threw four of them -- "and three were good."

Edwin Escobar, who's deemed closest to reaching Major League maturity among the Giants' starting pitching prospects, threw a scoreless but long seventh inning, explaining why manager Bruce Bochy excused him at that point instead of sending him out for the eighth.