Rockies at Giants
Madison Bumgarner recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts in his last
outing but carries a winless stretch of three starts into Sunday's
contest against the visiting Colorado Rockies. The San Francisco Giants
ace received a no-decision in his dominant outing against San Diego last
Tuesday and is looking for his first victory since June 6.
Bumgarner aims to pitch the Giants to a series victory after the teams traded wins on Friday and Saturday. He will be matched up against Colorado's Kyle Kendrick, who has served up a major-league worst 21 homers. San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, who is 6-for-12 against Kendrick, is a torrid 7-for-16 with nine RBIs over the past four games. Colorado right fielder Carlos Gonzalez is the rare left-handed hitter who feasts on Bumgarner and is batting .350 with five homers and three doubles in 40 career at-bats against him.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Kyle Kendrick (3-9, 5.96 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (7-4, 3.04)
Kendrick had dropped three straight decisions before beating the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last outing. He gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings -- marking the fifth time in his last seven starts that he has allowed four or more runs. Kendrick is 2-3 with a 4.85 ERA in nine career appearances (six starts) against San Francisco, including a loss on May 22 in which he gave up four runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Bumgarner has allowed just five runs during his winless stretch and limited the Padres to two runs and four hits in 7 1/3 innings. He has 41 strikeouts against five walks over his last four starts and has fanned 102 on the season. Bumgarner is 9-6 with a 3.13 ERA in 20 career starts against Colorado and is facing the Rockies for the first time this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado is batting .370 with seven homers and 18 RBIs during a 14-game hitting streak.
2. San Francisco 3B Matt Duffy is 6-for-14 with six runs scored over the past three games.
3. Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki, who is 10-for-26 with two homers against Bumgarner, extended his hitting streak to 11 games on Saturday.