San Francisco Giants take down Rockies again, splitting the series, Madison Bumgarner notches his 17th win

Sep 6, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt (9) and third baseman Matt Duffy (5) and second baseman Kelby Tomlinson (37) and relief pitcher Santiago Casilla (46) celebrate following the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Giants defeated the Rockies 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants enjoyed the win so much Saturday, they gave us an encore on Sunday. In case they’re wondering, I think we could stand it again.

I’ll give you the good news and the bad news all at once‒the good news is the Giants haven’t lost any ground in the standings in the hunt for Orange October. The bad news? The Giants haven’t gained any ground in the standings in the hunt for Orange October.

More news: Joe Panik played his last rehab game. In case you’re wondering, that’s a good thing. He’s on his way to Arizona to join up with the Giants and word on the street is he will be in the starting lineup for Monday’s game.

In the meantime, let’s talk about Sunday’s game. The Giants won, making it a double heaping spoonful of what they served up Saturday. If they do it again on Monday, we’ll have ourselves an honest-to-goodness, bona fide streak.

Madison Bumgarner pitched a good game for the Giants. Oh sure, the Rockies scored some runs. In fact, they scored two runs in the first. I’m not gonna lie‒that caused some anxiety. But after the first inning Bumgarner settled in and pitched five more innings of solid, good old baseball. He pitched six innings, allowing four runs, nine hits and one walk while striking out three.

It wasn’t one of Bumgarner’s best outings which just goes to prove that our big old country lefty is good even when he isn’t. It will make sense if you think about it. Trust me. Today’s outing gave him his 17^th win this season. If you go by the schedule as it sits now, that gives him six more starts with the last one on October 4, 2015. Bumgarner is tied for second place in the MLB with Dallas Keuchel, for the pitcher with the most wins. Jake Arrieta from the Cubs is in first with 18.

That means he has to win half of his remaining games to make it a 20-win season. I hope he makes it.

The Giants won Sunday’s game the same way they won Saturday’s game. Good ol’ Giants-style base hits and keeping the line moving. The one exception was Buster Posey‘s home run–career #100–when he led-off the fourth.

The fifth was a big inning for the Giants. Gregor Blanco got a base hit and Kelby Tomlinson followed with a base hit of his own. Matt Duffy hit a triple‒it’s so good to have him back where he belongs, but I still say he needs some rest‒scoring both.

Buster was intentionally walked and Marlon Byrd hit a single, scoring Duffy. Belt drew a walk and Brandon Crawford hit a double. Buster scored, Byrd scored and Belt, who looked like he ran out of gas at third, was thrown out at the plate.

Didn’t I tell you it was a big inning for the Giants? The Rockies scored two runs in their half of the inning, and that concluded the scoring portion of Sunday’s game. The final score was Giants 7, Rockies 4

The Giants and the Rockies split the four-game series with two wins each.

I realize it’s going to take a miracle to make the post-season, I said so yesterday. But in answer Al Michael’s famous question–I do believe in miracles. I do. I do. I do. And  I’m not going to give up on the Giants until the last K is hung. I don’t care if the fat lady sings, and I don’t give a hoot about the math. I just won’t stop believing.

Neither should you.

Come on, let’s go hunt for Orange October.