San Francisco Giants Drop Series Opener in Colorado

Lack of run support for their ace once again cost the San Francisco Giants what would have been a huge win over the Colorado Rockies.

After sweeping the first place Diamondbacks in Arizona this weekend, the San Francisco Giants were looking to stay in the win column with Madison Bumgarner on the mound.

The San Francisco Giants started their series in Colorado with a 45-40 record, five games above .500 for the first time this season. Only 2.5 games out of first place, they were looking to take a few more wins from the Rockies and gain more ground in their hunt for the division.

It’s been an ongoing issue for the Giants to get Madison Bumgarner run support in his starts. Whenever he has the nod, it always seems that the offense shuts off, no matter how well he pitches. In his last start, there were no runs for either squad until Brandon Crawford blasted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. It was a victory for the team, but it goes to show that wins aren’t coming easy for the left-handed ace.

More from Around the Foghorn

• SF Giants: Reliever Reyes Moronta clears outright waivers
• SF Giants sign veteran 1B John Nogowski to minor league deal
• SF Giants call on veteran LHP Scott Kazmir for big start against Padres
• SF Giants: Update on Alex Dickerson’s rehab assignment
• Atlanta claims SF Giants C Chadwick Tromp off waivers

It was the same song and dance Monday night in Colorado. Despite a couple of runs scored early on, they could not extend the lead beyond two, and at Coors Field, that doesn’t get the job done.

A seventh-inning rally by the Rockies knocked Bumgarner out of the game and pushed three runs across the plate to take the lead. With an underwhelming showing from Ty Blach in the eighth, they managed to add on to their lead and secure a 5-2 victory.

While this loss wasn’t particularly disappointing or ill-timed, it does raise a concern about the Giants’ ability to earn wins on the day they have their best pitcher on the mound. The rotation depth that the young starters have given the team has been greatly appreciated and is much of the reason that the Giants have a winning record at this point in the season. But Bumgarner is still their number one. And yet he has only one win in the month he’s been back.

Pitcher wins obviously don’t tell the whole story, especially since Bumgarner has pitched very well in his last two starts. With only 2 ER in his last 13 IP, there’s no reason to think he isn’t getting the job done.

Ultimately, there is no excuse for the Giants’ constant inability to win well-pitched games, especially those from Bumgarner. While they remain in a decent position in their division despite the loss, this isn’t something that anyone wants to see continue.

Madison Bumgarner deserves better.