Indians vs. Giants Preview
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said there’s no way Madison Bumgarner’s spot in the rotation is in danger following one horrendous inning.
Fausto Carmona has had a few of those this season, but Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta said his opening-day starter’s spot is also safe.
Bumgarner will try to pitch the Giants to their fifth straight win Sunday night in the conclusion of their series with the visiting Indians.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog have made the Giants -138 money line favorites for Sunday’s game against the Indians. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 59% of more than 597 bets for this game have been placed on the Giants -138.
After posting a 2.03 ERA in his previous 10 starts, Bumgarner (3-9, 4.06 ERA) lasted one-third of an inning in a 9-2 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday when the Twins matched a major league record by opening with eight consecutive hits.
“It was pretty pathetic of me trying to execute pitches,” Bumgarner told the Giants’ official website after giving up eight runs and nine hits in the shortest start of his career. “Everything was in the middle of the plate and up. They did what they were supposed to do. They’re supposed to hit that pitch and they did. Obviously, it was terrible pitch execution.”
Bochy, though, wasn’t concerned about his 21-year-old left-hander.
“This kid has been throwing too well,” Bochy said of Bumgarner, who has among the lowest run-support averages in the NL at 2.77. “It’s an off day, that’s what it is.”
Acta can’t say the same about Carmona (4-9, 5.98), who is 1-6 with a 9.24 ERA in his last seven starts. The sinkerballer was tagged for seven runs in 4 2-3 innings of Monday’s 8-7 loss to Colorado, with six of those runs crossing in the fifth.
“I tried to get out of the inning, but it didn’t work out,” Carmona said through an interpreter.
Big innings have been a problem for the right-hander, with 24 of the 38 runs he’s allowed in his last seven outings coming in five innings. Carmona, though, will likely keep getting the ball every fifth day for the Indians (40-25).
“It’s not as easy as it looks. This is not fantasy baseball,” Acta told the Indians’ official website. “You can’t just get rid of him and bring somebody else over here. He’s one of our guys. He’s got good stuff.”
Carmona will face a Giants team that has totaled a pedestrian 12 runs during its four-game winning streak. San Francisco (43-34), though, has posted a major league-best 17 one-run home wins including a 1-0 victory Saturday, when the only run scored off a Tony Sipp balk in the seventh.
“We’ve had some weird ways to win,” closer Brian Wilson said after recording his 23rd save.”That one’s definitely up there.”
The Giants, trying to win five in a row for the third time this season and first time since May 18-22, go for the three-game sweep after losing all three to Cleveland in its first visit to San Francisco from June 10-12, 2005.
The Indians are trying to avoid getting swept in a three-game road series for the first time this season.
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