Giants lose as Bumgarner makes debut
Photos & article by Andy Lopusnak of Bay Area Sports Drive
September 8, 2009
The highly anticipated Major League debut of twenty-year old Madison Bumgarner was unexpected to say the least. Tim Lincecum was poised to make the start Tuesday night against San Diego and Bumgarner was getting ready to pitch Wednesday’s playoff opener for Double-A Connecticut, but that all changed less than four hours before first pitch. Lincecum sat out due to back spasms and Bumgarner was headed to AT&T Park
When Bumgarner, who turned 20 on August 1, took the mound, he became the youngest active MLB player. He pitched just 5 1/3 innings, but didn’t disappoint allowing two runs while striking out four and walking a batter. Aside from two solo home runs allowed (to Chase Headley in the second and Kevin Kouzmanoff in the fourth), Bumgarner only allowed one other runner to get into scoring position. He left the game with a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth, but got a no decision because the bullpen allowed two more runs as the Giants lost 4-3. A no decision isn’t anything new to Bumgarner, who had five of them this year with Connecticut when pitching at least five innings (his team was 4-1 in those games).
The loss put the Giants three games behind Colorado for the NL’s Wild Card. Bumgarner likely won’t make another start this season, but will go into the bullpen over the team’s final 23 games as San Francisco makes a playoff push. Lincecum is expected to be back on the mound on Monday as Colorado comes in for a three-game set. Bumgarner (2007) and Lincecum (2006) were both selected by the Giants with the tenth pick in the MLB Amateur Draft, just a year a part.
This year in the minors, Bumgarner was 12-2 with a 1.85 ERA. Last year, he was named Minor League Baseball’s Most Spectacular Pitcher after finishing 2008 with the lowest ERA. Overall, in two Minor League seasons, he was 27-5 with a 1.65 ERA and averaged 8.4 strikeouts per putting.