MLB Game Preview - San Francisco at Arizona

Sat Aug 26, 2017 8:10 PM EDT

PHOENIX -The last time Madison Bumgarner was here, he struck out a season-high 11, gave up three runs and did not receive a decision.

Who could have imagined that as a semi-highlight of the year?

Bumgarner worked seven innings in San Francisco's season-opening 6-5 walkoff loss at Arizona on April 2, but his dirt bike injury 2 1/2 weeks later not only sidelined him for eight weeks but also sent the Giants into a tailspin from which they will not recover.

Almost five months later, Bumgarner will return to the Chase Field mound to face Arizona right-hander Taijuan Walker when the Giants (52-78) attempt to even the three-game series Saturday.

Bumgarner is 3-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 12 starts, and 3-2 in eight starts since his return after the All-Star break on July 15. He has given up two earned runs or fewer five of those starts, and he has given up only nine earned runs while striking out 36 in 38 innings (2.13 ERA) in his last six.

"He's been fine. He's been normal," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of his returned ace. "Shown no effects from the accident. Let him go. He's been throwing the ball well. He's really been himself."

The Giants fell victim to Paul Goldschmidt and Zack Greinke in the series opener Friday, when Arizona (71-58) moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Colorado in the NL wild card race. The Diamondbacks are five games ahead Milwaukee, next in line.

Goldschmidt's three-run homer helped Greinke to his 15th victory of the season, and in so doing Goldschmidt became the first player in franchise history with three 30-homer 100-RBI seasons. Luis Gonzalez had two. Goldschmidt has done it all in the last five years, one of which (2014) was limited to 109 games because of a fractured hand.

"Nothing against Arizona, but if (Goldschmidt) was on the East Coast he would be getting a lot of recognition for what he does," Arizona catcher Chris Iannetta said.

Greinke (15-6) and former Dodgers teammate Clayton Kershaw (15-2) are tied for the major league lead in victories.

Is a side bet involved?

"I would never bet against him," Greinke said.

Arizona right-hander Taijuan Walker, 6-7 with a 3.66 ERA, will oppose Bumgarner. Walker is making his fourth start against the Giants in the fourth series between the two this year. He is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in 17 innings with one quality start, that coming in a no-decision in his last outing at AT&T Park on Aug. 5.

Walker pitched six scoreless innings before being removed after giving up two doubles and a homer to the first three batters he faced in the seventh. He has not gotten into the sixth inning in any of his last three outings while exiting with pitch counts of 109, 101 and 93.

"He's pitching into the part of the game that I'm happy with," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "To get specific, maybe be pitch-efficient at times and maybe finish a guy off a little sooner, but that's kind of getting nit-picky in my opinion. He has a tremendous mound presence. He's very imposing and we all feel like he can throw nine innings every single time, but he tires.

"At a certain pitch count, he gets a little fatigued, and we have to get him out of there. But that's not the reason why he's coming out of games."