Aug 13, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) throws to the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning of their MLB baseball game at AT&;T Park. Photo Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner shut out the Baltimore Orioles over seven innings and Denard Span accumulated four RBIs with a pair of two-run singles Saturday night, propelling the San Francisco Giants to a 6-2 interleague victory.
Joe Panik laced two ground-rule doubles and Brandon Belt smacked a two-run homer, helping the Giants even the three-game series at 1-1 and the all-time series between the teams at 7-7.
The win allowed the Giants (66-50) to retain a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers (65-51) in the National League West.
The Orioles (65-51), meanwhile, fell a half-game behind the Toronto Blue Jays (66-51) in the American League East.
Bumgarner (11-7), who hadn’t won since July 10, snapped a personal three-game losing streak by limiting the Orioles to three hits over his seven innings. He walked three and struck out eight.
The All-Star’s only tense moment came in the sixth inning, with the Giants clinging to a 2-0 lead.
A double by Manny Machado put the potential tying runs in scoring position with just one out. But Bumgarner got Mark Trumbo to foul out to catcher Buster Posey and, after walking Jonathan Schoop to load the bases, struck out Chris Davis to end the threat.
Trumbo and Davis homered in Baltimore’s 5-2 victory that opened the series Friday night.
The Giants scored their runs in twos, with Panik and Span combining to produce a pair of two-run innings in almost identical fashion.
Panik twice one-hopped the outfield fence at AT&T Park, a ground-rule double that advanced Hunter Pence in the second inning and Eduardo Nunez in the sixth to third base.
Span followed two batters later with two-run singles, the first off Orioles starter Kevin Gausman (3-10) and the second off reliever Vance Worley.
Panik became the first Giant since Andres Galarraga in 2001 to record two ground-rule doubles in the same game.
Belt’s homer followed a walk to Angel Pagan and capped the scoring in the seventh inning off Baltimore’s third pitcher, Ubaldo Jimenez.
Bumgarner and the San Francisco bullpen carried a shutout two outs into the ninth inning, but pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty delivered a bases-loaded, two-run single off the fourth Giants pitcher, Javier Lopez, to get the Orioles within 6-2.
Closer Santiago Casilla came on and threw one pitch, getting Adam Jones to ground to third to earn his 27th save.
Panik also singled and walked in a 3-for-3 performance for the Giants, who won for only the ninth time in 26 games since the All-Star break.
Angel Pagan and Buster Posey walked three times apiece for San Francisco, which drew nine walks from the three Orioles pitchers.
Machado and J.J. Hardy had doubles for the Orioles, who fell to 4-5 on their 10-game trip that ends Sunday.
Gausman was pulled after an adventurous four innings, during which he walked a career-high six and got nine of his 12 outs via strikeouts.
The nine strikeouts equaled his most this season and was one off his career high set in an eight-inning effort last Sept. 30 against Toronto. He’d never previously walked more than four in a start.
One of the walks contributed to the Giants’ two-run second inning.
After Gausman walked Hunter Pence leading off the inning, Joe Panik doubled to put two runners in scoring position. They both scored on Denard Span’s two-out single, putting the Giants on top 2-0.
The two hits and two runs were the only ones Gausman allowed in his four innings. He stranded six baserunners.
NOTES: In a ceremony several hours before the night game, the Giants unveiled a larger-than-life (9-foot) bronze statue of RHP Gaylord Perry outside of AT&T Park. The Hall of Famer was on hand for the ceremony, as were fellow Giants Hall of Famers CF Willie Mays, 1B Willie McCovey, 1B Orlando Cepeda and RHP Juan Marichal. … Perry, a 314-game winner, also threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. … The Orioles placed RHP Darren O’Day (strained right shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to Friday) and promoted RHP Tyler Wilson from Triple-A Norfolk. O’Day received a cortisone shot in his shoulder Saturday. … Orioles 3B Manny Machado lost a hit from Friday’s game when Major League Baseball ruled his fourth-inning groundball off Giants RHP Matt Cain’s leg was a fielder’s choice. Orioles LF Hyun Soo Kim was picked off second base on the play, well after Machado had reached first safely. … Baseball Hall of Fame director Jeff Idelson presented Giants SS Brandon Crawford with a lifetime pass Saturday in exchange for the bat he used while collecting seven hits Monday against the Miami Marlins.
