Madison Bumgarner shut down the Pirates offense to send the Giants to the NLDS with an 8-0 NL Wild Card victory. Bumgarner struck out 10 and gave up just 4 hits, while walking just 1 in the complete game effort. He ended the season with a 2.98 ERA and 219 strikeouts, showing why Wednesday night.
Bumgarner received plenty of run support from his offense, after the game was held scoreless through 3 innings. It was in the 4th that Brandon Crawford sent an Edison Volquez curveball in to the right field seats for a grand slam, and a 4-0 Giants lead. Crawford is the first shortstop in postseason history to hit a grand slam. Volquez's night was through after giving up another run in the 6th, finishing with 5 earned runs, walking 3, and striking out 3.
Brandon Belt also had a nice night at the plate for San Francisco, knocking in 3 on an RBI single and a 2-run single. Those run-producing hits extended the Giants' lead to 7-0. Buster Posey singled in Gregor Blanco in the 8th for the final run of the game, making the score 8-0.
Bumgarner also received help defensively from 3rd baseman Pablo Sandoval in the 7th. Russell Martin popped a ball up in to foul territory. Sandoval would flip over the railing of the dugout and make the sensational catch. He was able to stick the landing, with a little help from a couple of bystanders in the dugout.
Madison Bumgarner is the 3rd pitcher to throw a complete game shutout and strike out 10 in a win-or-go-home game. Justin Verlander and Sandy Koufax are the other 2 pitchers he joins. Meanwhile, the Pirates fall to 1-1 in Wild Card games, after defeating the Reds last season. It was their 2nd consecutive postseason appearance after a 21-year absence. The Giants move on to face the Washington Nationals in the NLDS beginning Friday.
Bumgarner received plenty of run support from his offense, after the game was held scoreless through 3 innings. It was in the 4th that Brandon Crawford sent an Edison Volquez curveball in to the right field seats for a grand slam, and a 4-0 Giants lead. Crawford is the first shortstop in postseason history to hit a grand slam. Volquez's night was through after giving up another run in the 6th, finishing with 5 earned runs, walking 3, and striking out 3.
Brandon Belt also had a nice night at the plate for San Francisco, knocking in 3 on an RBI single and a 2-run single. Those run-producing hits extended the Giants' lead to 7-0. Buster Posey singled in Gregor Blanco in the 8th for the final run of the game, making the score 8-0.
Bumgarner also received help defensively from 3rd baseman Pablo Sandoval in the 7th. Russell Martin popped a ball up in to foul territory. Sandoval would flip over the railing of the dugout and make the sensational catch. He was able to stick the landing, with a little help from a couple of bystanders in the dugout.
Madison Bumgarner is the 3rd pitcher to throw a complete game shutout and strike out 10 in a win-or-go-home game. Justin Verlander and Sandy Koufax are the other 2 pitchers he joins. Meanwhile, the Pirates fall to 1-1 in Wild Card games, after defeating the Reds last season. It was their 2nd consecutive postseason appearance after a 21-year absence. The Giants move on to face the Washington Nationals in the NLDS beginning Friday.
