Giants 7, Phillies 5
PHILADELPHIA -- Left-hander Madison Bumgarner received plenty of run support on Saturday, and good thing he did as the San Francisco Giants held off the Philadelphia Phillies for a 7-5 win at Citizens Bank Park.
From the onset, the Giants bombarded right-hander Severino Gonzalez (2-2). They scored six runs on eight hits over the first three frames, forcing the Phillies' starter to depart after 2 2/3 innings.
Philadelphia didn't go quietly: Right fielder Jeff Francoeur tagged Bumgarner for a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth. But San Francisco's ace did enough to retain the lead as he improved to 35-1 when receiving at least six runs of support.
Closer Santiago Casilla pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 17th save.
The outburst with the bats helped the Giants (32-25) win their second straight game following a five-game skid. San Francisco has won six of its last seven series against Philadelphia (14-7 in 21 games).
Meanwhile, the Phillies (21-36) picked up their 12th loss over the last 15 games and are off to their worst start since 1997 (20-37).
Aside from the grand slam, Bumgarner (7-2) made things look easy. He threw 78 strikes in 98 pitches, going eight innings and striking out 11, while adding two singles and an RBI.
Left fielder Nori Aoki, who went 3-for-3, was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and scored on a single by center fielder Angel Pagan.
First baseman Brandon Belt later plated second baseman Joe Panik with a sacrifice fly to give the Giants an early 2-0 lead.
San Francisco tacked on four crucial runs in the top of third.
Third baseman Matt Duffy drove in one with a single, while shortstop Brandon Crawford scored on a balk by Gonzalez and Aoki knocked in two to push the Giants' advantage to 6-0.
In the bottom half of the fourth, the Phillies got to Bumgarner by loading the bases for Francoeur, who cleared them with his second career grand slam. It was just the second slam surrendered by Bumgarner.
San Francisco added some cushion with an unearned run in the top of the seventh, while Philadelphia pinch hitter Andres Blanco gave Bumgarner his only other blemish of the afternoon by hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth.
NOTES: The game started after a 29-minute rain delay. ... Giants OF Hunter Pence missed his third straight game as he recovers from tendinitis in his left wrist. Manager Bruce Bochy said Pence will “more than likely” sit out Sunday's series finale but will be ready to return Tuesday when the team begins a three-game series in New York against the Mets. ... With Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner on the mound, 2B Chase Utley and 1B Ryan Howard were held out of the Phillies' starting lineup. The lefties entered Saturday a collective 2-for-17 (.118) with no extra-base hits and seven strikeouts against Bumgarner. ... Giants OF Nori Aoki returned to the starting lineup after missing Friday's game because of the flu. ... Phillies SS Freddy Galvis returned to the starting lineup after receiving a night off Friday. Galvis entered the game in an 0-for-25 slump.