Madison Bumgarner’s D-backs debut spoiled by 3-run 6th in loss

Jul 24, 2020, 8:29 PM | Updated: 10:41 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner works against a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, July 24, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

BY TORRENCE DUNHAM

Arizona Sports

A bases-clearing double in the sixth inning off the bat of Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer spoiled what was a dazzling debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks new ace Madison Bumgarner in a 7-2 loss Friday night in San Diego.

Bumgarner, who the D-backs signed to a five-year, $85 million deal in the offseason, ended the night giving up three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four through 5.2 innings of work.

He was cruising prior to the sixth inning, holding the Padres scoreless and only allowing three hits and one walk.

“I felt like he was right in that pitch range where we still felt comfortable, he said he felt good,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said in a Zoom call with the media after the game. “He’s our guy … the way I look at is he’s a guy that I’m going to and rely on in that situation.”

Bumgarner left the ballgame after the Hosmer double trailing 3-0.

Prior to Hosmer’s double, Bumgarner’s boxscore Friday was on par with his days wearing a Giants uniform, the team he had previously spent his entire career with.

However, his velocity was not.

The 30-year-old lefty threw 100 pitches and didn’t hit 90 MPH, according to MLB.com’s Gameday, hovering in the high 80s.

Bumgarner averaged 91.7 MPH with his fastball last season, according to Fan Graphs.

While his fastball didn’t have as much velocity as last year on Friday against the Padres, the speed of his other pitches remained largely unchanged.

Friday was the second straight Opening Day Bumgarner took on the Padres, giving up two runs across seven innings while striking out nine last season.

Similarly, the big lefty didn’t get much help from his offense, as he took the loss in that game.

Kole Calhoun scored the first run for Arizona in the 2020 season with a home run to right field in the seventh inning and Christian Walker added an RBI single in the ninth inning.

The D-backs will look to bounce back against the Padres on Saturday at 6:10 p.m. Listen to all the action live on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

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