The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws to the San Francisco Giants line up in the top of the first inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Mon Jul 5, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Monday, July 4, 2022

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Madison Bumgarner made it clear following Arizona’s 8-3 win Monday over the San Francisco Giants – facing his old ballclub wasn’t as important as getting the starting assignment for Independence Day.

“I was excited to pitch on the Fourth of July,” Bumgarner said. “It’s a special day and I’m proud to be an American. I knew I’d have to cover a spot on the rotation and I was excited to see I would pitch on the Fourth. It’s awesome, very special for me.

“I didn’t need any extra motivation (to face the Giants). All I ever cared about was winning, and we won today.”

After a rough first inning, Bumgarner (4-8) settled down to work five innings and get the win, giving up three earned runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. He left after throwing 100 pitches.

“With my command, I’m still trying to figure it all out,” Bumgarner said, “I don’t know if it’s something physical, or just not making the pitches, trying to be too perfect on each one, instead of just going after guys. We’re trying to rearrange things and fix that, because I don’t get paid to go five innings every time out.

“I was feeling pretty good in the bullpen today, even before I came in.”

The veteran lefthander was the beneficiary of solid run support and an effective effort from the Diamondbacks bullpen. Daulton Varsho was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, and Buddy Kennedy and Josh Rojas each had two of Arizona’s 11 hits.

Relievers Sean Poppen, Joe Mantiply and Mike Melancon held San Francisco scoreless over the last four innings on two hits. Mantiply also struck out four in the seventh and eighth as Arizona handed the Giants their fifth straight loss.

“Madison is always a tough customer out there and I thought we did a good job of driving the pitch count up,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “We had a big hit in the first inning against the shift, but we have a lot of work to do. This is just one game, but we have to recognize that we need to get back to work.”

Coming off a disastrous homestand, going 2-6 against Cincinnati, Detroit and the Chicago White Sox, the Giants also committed two errors Monday that led directly to two Diamondback runs. San Francisco has committed seven errors in the last five games.

“We’ve been talking about that for a while now,” Kapler said. “I think that human beings make errors, so that’s probably the most important factor. Sometimes they come in bunches, and we have some limitations that become clear. We’ll just keep working on that and try to correct that as soon as possible.”

To address the defensive shortcomings, Kapler said that shortstop Brandon Crawford and first baseman Brandon Belt were possibilities to return to the San Francisco lineup.

Giants starter Carlos Rodon (7-5) gave up four earned runs on five hits, despite striking out seven and issuing two walks. Tyler Rogers and Mauricio Llovera each gave up two runs in relief.

Bumgarner (4-8) struggled in the top of the first inning, when San Francisco loaded the bases with one out. After Wilmer Flores was hit by a pitch, Bumgarner issued walks to Darin Ruf and Evan Longoria. LaMonte Wade Jr. followed with a two-RBI single, driving in Flores and Ruf.

Yermin Mercedes grounded into a double play to end the threat.

The Diamondbacks responded with a pair of runs off Rodon. Kennedy’s two-run single to right drove in Jordan Luplow, who hit a leadoff double, and Cooper Hummel, who walked.

Arizona took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second when Varsho reached on an infield single and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Geraldo Perdomo and Flores’ throwing error to third. The Snakes extended their lead to 4-2 when Hummel singled, stole second, moved to third on Curt Casali’s throwing error (on the steal attempt) and scored on a Ketel Marte double to right.

“Those (two runs in the first) helped me very much,” Bumgarner said. “To erase that right away was huge.”

In the Giants third, David Villar – just called up from Triple-A Sacramento – delivered an RBI single on a sinking liner to right, driving in Longoria, who had reached on a one-out single. Earlier, Villar doubled in his first major league at-bat in the second.

The Diamondbacks added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Josh Rojas and a run-scoring single by Varsho. Arizona tacked on another pair of runs in the eighth on Varsho’s two-run single.

Casali left the game in the sixth inning with a strained right oblique during his at-bat against Poppen. Kapler said Casali is expected to get an MRI on Tuesday. Kapler also said that bringing Joey Bart back from Sacramento was “a possibility,” adding, “We’ll discuss it with the front office and make a good decision for the Giants.”

GIANT JOTTINGS: Following Sunday’s game, the Giants optioned RHP Yunior Marte and RHP Sean Hjelle to Triple-A Sacramento, recalled RHP Mauricio Llovera and purchased the contract of INF David Villar from the River Cats. … This was the first meeting between the Diamondbacks and Giants this season. The last time the Giants went this late into a season for their first game against an NL West opponent was in 2000, when San Francisco didn’t play San Diego until July 19. … Attendance at Chase Field for the Fourth of July afternoon contest was 27,752.