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Bumgarner solid as Giants nip Brewers

Jul 24, 2011 - 11:13 PM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Madison Bumgarner gave the San Francisco bullpen some much-needed rest in Sunday's series finale against the Brewers.

The 21-year-old pitched into the eighth inning and scored a run in the third after posting the Giants' only extra-base hit in a 2-1 decision, the club's 27th one-run victory of the season.

San Francisco's relievers tossed seven innings over the first two games of the set, but were needed for only four outs behind Bumgarner (6-9), who scattered eight hits and did not walk a batter for the third consecutive start.

"He's obviously very talented and he throw strikes. He pounds the strike zone with all of his pitches. He's very deceptive and uses both sides of the plate," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Bumgarner, who finished with eight strikeouts.

Sergio Romo retired the dangerous Ryan Braun for the final out of the eighth, and Brian Wilson set down Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and Yuniesky Betancourt in the ninth to post his 31st save of the season.

Mike Fontenot and Jeff Keppinger each drove in a run for the victors.

The series marked the first of six straight for the Giants against National League contenders, with their next test coming in Philadelphia in a rematch of last year's NLCS.

The three-game showdown against the Phillies doesn't start until Tuesday, and on the off day the reigning World Series champions will be honored by President Barack Obama at the White House for last year's heroics.

Sunday's battle of first-place teams got off to a rocky start for the hosts, as Braun hammered a 1-0 pitch to straightaway center for his 20th home run of the season in the first frame.

Knowing his offense provided support of three runs or less in 17 of his previous 20 starts, Bumgarner had to settle in and keep the deficit at a minimum.

He shook off leadoff hits in the next three frames, and in the meantime helped an anemic offense with a double off Yovani Gallardo (11-7) with one away in the third.

One out later, Keppinger lined a single to left, and Bumgarner hustled around third and slid in safely at home in front of Braun's throw.

The sun helped the hosts take the lead for good in the fourth, as Aubrey Huff hit a mile-high pop up to third leading off the inning. Josh Wilson never located the ball, which bounced three feet to this left for a generous single.

Nate Schierholtz beat out a potential double-play ball and moved to third on Brandon Belt's base hit before trotting home as the eventual game-winning run on Fontenot's deep flyout to center.

Bumgarner's only perfect inning came in the seventh, one frame after getting Weeks to ground into a 4-6-3 twin killing to squash any chance at a Brewers rally.

Despite his pitch count at an efficient 93 with two outs in the eighth, Bochy pulled the lefty with a runner on first. Romo came in and handcuffed Braun on a dribbler back to the mound, and Wilson was his usual dominant self in the ninth to finish off the rubber match.

Game Notes

The Giants have not lost a series since getting swept by Oakland from June 17-19...San Francisco was out-hit, 8-7, improving to 4-30 in such instances...Bumgarner has issued two or fewer walks in 19 consecutive starts...The Giants bullpen has allowed one earned run in 32 innings since the All-Star break...The Giants are 7-1 in rubber games this season...Belt, playing left field, went 2-for-2 with a walk...Huff ended with three hits...Sunday was Barry Bonds' 47th birthday...Gallardo was charged with two runs on seven hits over seven innings...Braun has homered in four of his last five games despite dealing with a calf injury that has caused him to miss 10 games this month.