(Sports Network) - Madison Bumgarner eyes his fifth straight win this
afternoon when the San Francisco Giants continue a three-game series against
the Milwaukee Brewers at AT&T Park.
After getting hit hard in a loss to Arizona to start his season, Bumgarner has
reeled off four straight wins, surrendering two runs just once in that span,
while allowing one in the other three.
Bumgarner was again brilliant against San Diego on Sunday, as he gave up a run
and six hit sin 7 2/3 innings to run his record to 4-1 to go along with a 2.53
ERA.
"He's a hard worker, a tireless worker," catcher Buster Posey said. "He's
constantly looking for ways to get better. I think that's what's so exciting
about him."
He's faced the Brewers three times and is 2-1 with a 1.27 ERA in those
contests.
Milwaukee will counter with veteran left-hander Randy Wolf, who is 2-2 with a
6.84 ERA. Wolf won his second straight start on Monday in San Diego, as he
allowed three runs and nine hits in five innings. He also walked three and has
issued 12 free passes in 26 1/3 innings this season.
Wolf is 9-6 lifetime against the Giants with a 2.85 ERA in 20 starts.
The Brewers drew first blood in this series on Friday, as Aramis Ramirez
ripped a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to help
lift Milwaukee to a 6-4 win.
Jonathan Lucroy clubbed a two-run single and Travis Ishikawa added an RBI on a
sacrifice bunt for the Brewers, who snapped a brief two-game skid.
"He had a pretty good arm out there he had to face and he put a good swing on
it and hit the ball hard somewhere," Lucroy said about Ramirez.
Kameron Loe (2-0) got the final two outs in the sixth inning in relief of
starter Zack Greinke to earn the win, and John Axford tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to
nail down his sixth save of the season.
Melky Cabrera ripped an RBI triple, while Posey and Joaquin Arias added
RBIs for the Giants, who have dropped four in a row.
Clay Hensley (1-3) was saddled with the loss after giving up Ramirez's hit in
the seventh. Giants starter Tim Lincecum gave up three runs in the first
inning, but settled down after that, pitching four scoreless innings.
"I'm happy with the way I was able to come out of it. But giving up three at
the beginning of the game in the first inning, that's not the way to put your
team in a position to win," said Lincecum.
On the injury front, Milwaukee may once again be without reigning NL MVP Ryan
Braun, who missed Friday's contest with a sore Achilles.
"It's still just tight in the Achilles, and we'll try to give it another day,"
manager Ron Roenicke said.
Milwaukee split its six meetings with the Giants last season, but has lost
three of its last five in San Francisco.
The Sports Network