LOS ANGELES — The Giants moved Madison Bumgarner up a day to keep him on schedule, but in the clubhouse, coaches were surely also hoping he would bring a spark and prevent a sweep.
Bumgarner did his part. It didn’t matter.
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The Giants blew a one-run lead in the ninth and again in the 11th. Kyle Farmer, in his big league debut, hit a two-run walk-off double to right to clinch a 3-2 win for the Dodgers.
Here are five things to know, if you can stomach it …
--- Conor Gillaspie has two hits in the last 11 days and both have been pinch-hit homers. He hit a two-run shot in the ninth inning on July 21 to tie a game. Sunday’s go-ahead blast in the eighth was the seventh pinch-hit homer of Gillaspie’s career.
--- On the flip side, Gillaspie opened the door for the ninth-inning comeback. He was slow getting rid of Chase Utley's routine grounder to open the inning and Utley reached safely. He took second by getting a huge jump off Sam Dyson. Yasiel Puig bounced a 3-2 pitch into center to tie the game, and an intentional walk and infield single loaded the bases. Cody Bellinger flied out to end the threat.
San Francisco Giants
--- Bumgarner gave up just five hits in seven shutout innings. He struck out seven. He has thrown 25 1/3 innings in his four starts since returning from a shoulder injury.
---- Tomlinson is now 11 for 32 as a pinch-hitter this season. That'll keep you around for a while.
--- The Giants tried to put a rally together in the seventh when the first two runners reached. Joe Panik tagged up from second on a deep fly ball to Yasiel Puig and lived to smile about it, but just barely. Panik then tagged up again on Brandon Crawford’s fly ball to center and Kiké Hernandez gunned him down at the plate with a gorgeous throw. Given what the Giants have done on offense, it was the right call by Panik. You tip your cap.