Cardinals 4 - 1 Giants
Final
  for this game

Giants hope Bumgarner stays hot at home vs. Cardinals

May 16, 2012 - 2:59 PM

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(Sports Network) - Madison Bumgarner hasn't enjoyed pitching in the desert this season, but the friendly confines of the bay have been very kind.

Bumgarner hopes to stay undefeated at home in 2012 when the San Francisco Giants play the first of two straight against the St. Louis Cardinals in a battle of the past two World Series champions.

The left-handed Bumgarner had a five-start win streak ended on Friday in Arizona as he was charged with five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits, two homers and a pair of walks in six innings. It was his first setback since losing his season debut on April 7, also in Arizona.

"I don't mind going here, I like this stadium, I like Arizona," Bumgarner said on Arizona's website. "But for some reason, this team is so aggressive, when you make a mistake, they make you pay for it. If you make pitches, then you'll be fine. I tried to make pitches, but there were times when I didn't do that."

The 22-year-old fell to 5-2 with a 2.80 earned run average in his seven starts, which includes a 3-0 record and 1.74 ERA in three at home. He is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two career meetings with the Cardinals.

San Francisco, the 2010 champions, had a three-game win streak end on Tuesday with a 5-4 loss to visiting Colorado. The Giants had tied the game in the seventh thanks to a two-run double by Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan's run- scoring single, but saw the Rockies' Marco Scutaro hit a leadoff homer in the ninth.

Tim Lincecum gave up four runs in seven innings in a no-decision for the Giants.

"It was one of those starts where he made some mistakes and didn't get away with them," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Lincecum. "But I see him getting better and better."

The defending-champion Cardinals halted their four-game slide on Tuesday with a 7-6 victory over the Cubs. Chicago's Alfonso Soriano tied the game with a solo homer in the top of the ninth, but Yadier Molina plated Matt Holliday with a two-out single in the bottom of the frame.

Holliday also homered, while the Cardinals battled back from an early 3-0 deficit by scoring twice in the bottom of the first and adding another in the second.

"Some days you're fighting so much it just seems like the whole game is uphill. You could tell, that first inning, those two runs were big," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny.

Outfielder Carlos Beltran was held out of the starting lineup for a second straight game due to a sore right knee, but was available to pinch-hit both games. He could get the start tonight following the bit of rest.

The Cardinals' Jaime Garcia will try to pick up his first victory since April 18 this evening and end his three-start struggles. He is 0-2 with a 6.27 ERA in that time, though he did avoid a third straight setback on Friday versus the Braves.

The 25-year-old southpaw did not factor into the decision of a 9-7 setback despite allowing five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. He is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA in seven starts this season.

Garcia has faced the Giants three times prior, going 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA.

The Giants won five of seven versus the Cardinals last season.






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