Madison Bumgarner strikes out season-high 9 in D-backs win over Nats

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner had his best outing of the season on Saturday night.

With a season-high 37,802 fans in attendance at Chase Field, the D-backs (42-52) lefty struck out over twice as many batters as he allowed hits in a 7-2 win over the Washington Nationals (31-65).

Bumgarner punched out a season-high nine batters over eight innings while only allowing two runs on four hits (one home run) and no walks (two hit-by-pitches) over 98 pitches (68 strikes).

“Bum went out there and set a really good tone,” manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. “We got an early lead and he just kept making pitches and getting some outs.

“You look up there fourth or fifth inning, the pitch count is super low and you feel like he’s going to pitch deep into this game and he did everything he could to do that. … There was zero chance I was going to send him back out there for the ninth inning.”

Bumgarner’s only real mistake on the night came in his eighth and final frame.

Nationals No. 9 hitter Victor Robles hit a solo home run to left field and the left-handed starter didn’t appreciate Robles’ celebration.

“He’s a clown. Golly. No shame. No shame,” Bumgarner said. “It’s 7-1, you hit your third home run of the year, you act like Barry Bonds breaking the record. Clean it up. I don’t care about giving up the run. Hell, we won 7-2. That’s frustrating. I’m the old grumpy guy, I know, but that type of stuff didn’t used to happen. Now, that’s ridiculous.”

#Dbacks Madison Bumgarner called #Natitude Victor Robles a “clown” for his home run celebration while still trailing 7-2. pic.twitter.com/0d8w0dyhca

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) July 24, 2022

Right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver came on to close things out with a 1-2-3 ninth inning that featured two strikeouts, one of which was Nationals All-Star Juan Soto’s third of the ballgame. In two games this series, Soto is 1-for-8 (.125) and had his career-high 27-game on-base streak snapped on Saturday after going 0-for-4.

The force was with the Diamondbacks offense on Star Wars night, as Arizona totaled its seven runs on 10 hits and three walks while going 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

The D-backs garnered over half of their runs in the ballgame with a four-run sixth inning that featured three two-out runs.

After Daulton Varsho scored the first run of the inning, two straight singles by Jake McCarthy and Geraldo Perdomo were followed by a Josh Rojas walk and a two-RBI double by Alek Thomas to give Arizona a 7-1 lead.

pic.twitter.com/2ishmUkZOE https://t.co/maSNvXyuzs

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) July 24, 2022

The Diamondbacks jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first after loading the bases thanks to a Thomas infield single, a Ketel Marte walk and a Christian Walker broken-bat bloop over the outstretched glove of Nationals second baseman Cesar Hernandez.

Arizona left fielder David Peralta then hit a sac-fly to left that would bring Thomas home.

The D-backs doubled their advantage the next inning thanks to a solo home run from catcher Carson Kelly, his fifth of the season.

#Dbacks Carson Kelly's 5th home run of the season.pic.twitter.com/2x5qduuGWr https://t.co/CqvqtIh5Rv

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) July 24, 2022

Kelly is 4-for-7 (.571) in two games this series with a home run, double, two singles, two RBI and two walks in nine plate appearances.

“It’s a long year and obviously the results weren’t there early off in the season,” he said. “I made some adjustments when I was hurt and coming back — basically simplify things, move on to the next one.

“For me, a lot of it is mental. I beat myself up on a lot of things. Moving on to the next one is something that has really helped me regardless if it’s good, bad, ugly — whatever it is, move on to the next one.”

UP NEXT

The D-backs go for the three-game series sweep over the Nationals on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

Arizona RHP Corbin Martin (0-0 4.40 ERA) is scheduled to start against Washington RHP Erick Fedde (5-7, 4.91).

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