Dodgers 3 - 5 Giants
Final
  for this game

Bumgarner seeks offensive support vs. Dodgers

Jul 19, 2011 - 2:53 PM (Sports Network) - Though he hasn't been getting the personal credit, Madison Bumgarner has pitched well enough for the Giants to win his last four starts.

San Francisco's offense will try to reward the young southpaw with a victory Tuesday night when the Giants resume a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at AT&T Park.

Bumgarner (4-9, 3.74) hasn't factored into the decision in his last three starts since a 3-1 win over the Indians on June 26. San Francisco, though, has picked up a victory in each of those games as it continues to struggle in giving its 21-year-old starter some help. The Giants are managing just an average of 2.8 runs of support for Bumgarner when he is on the mound, one of the lowest totals for a National League pitcher this year.

The 10th overall pick of the 2007 draft held the Padres to a run on seven hits over six innings without a walk last Thursday, when the Giants opened up their second half with a 6-2 win.

Bumgarner, who owns a 5.36 earned run average in nine starts at home in 2011, is 2-1 in four career appearances against the Dodgers with a 3.10 ERA. That includes a May 19 win at Los Angeles for the left-hander after he allowed one run and fell one out shy of his first career complete game.

True to form, he did struggle at home when facing the Dodgers on April 11, yielding five runs over five innings in a loss.

Bumgarner has done a good job when facing dangerous Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier, who is just 1-for-10 versus the Giants hurler. However, Bumgarner has been less successful versus Matt Kemp, who is 3-for-6 in this matchup with an RBI and three walks.

Ryan Vogelsong had success against Kemp and the entire LA lineup in Monday's opener, throwing 6 2/3 shutout innings en route to a 5-0 victory.

Pablo Sandoval had three of the club's 10 hits, including a solo home run against starter Chad Billingsley, who was knocked out in the sixth inning in the Dodgers' third straight loss.

The Giants will try to continue that success against right-hander Rubby De La Rosa, who hasn't won since June 12 and gave up 14 runs over a four-start losing streak before getting a no-decision in the Dodgers' 1-0 victory over the Padres on July 9.

De La Rosa (3-4, 3.74) turned in an excellent outing, allowing only one hit and four walks over six innings with a career-best eight strikeouts. However, Los Angeles did not get its first hit until there were two outs in the ninth inning en route to a shocking 1-0 win.

The 22-year-old will keep his eye on Sandoval, who has three homers and four RBI in eight games versus the Dodgers this season.

The Giants have won eight of 10 overall and picked up their fifth straight victory over the Dodgers, including a two-game sweep in Los Angeles from May 18-19. However, they suffered yet another injury last night when Miguel Tejada exited early due to a lower abdominal strain.

Wednesday's finale is shaping up to be a pitcher's duel, with a pair of All- Stars in San Francisco's Tim Lincecum (8-7, 2.99) and Clayton Kershaw (10-4, 2.88) set to square off by the Bay.






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