Madison Bumgarner came out for the bottom of the eighth looking to protect a 4-0 lead. With a pitch count of 92 and Brian Wilson getting loose in the bullpen, Bumgarner knew he wouldn't be allowed to pitch out of any trouble he got himself into, so he decided he simply wasn't going to get into any trouble.
World Series Game 4, Giants Vs. Rangers: Madison Bumgarner Excellent Through Eighth
The first batter he faced was Jeff Francoeur, and Francoeur pulled a long fly ball deep to left field that got the crowd on its feet and pushed Cody Ross all the way back to the track. Unlike Buster Posey's home run minutes earlier, though, this fly ball didn't carry, and Ross made a catch just in front of the wall.
The next batter was Bengie Molina, and he, too, pulled a fly ball to left field that pushed Cody Ross back. But Ross made this catch with a little less excitement.
That brought Mitch Moreland to the plate, and though the lefty was able to work the count full, Bumgarner threw a 3-2 slider that just caught the inside edge of the strike zone. Mike Winters rung Moreland up, and that meant that Bumgarner had finished off eight scoreless innings.
With a pitch count of 106 and the top of the Texas order due up, Bumgarner’s night is almost certainly complete. But what a night. His numbers:
8 innings
3 hits
0 runs
2 walks
6 strikeouts
106 pitches (69 strikes)
Derek Holland is on in relief of Darren O'Day for the Rangers in the ninth.
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