D-backs' offense comes up empty; losing streak hits 6
PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks went into the All-Star break with three straight losses. They've come back and lost three more.
On Sunday, Arizona couldn't get by the San Francisco Giants despite knocking ace Madison Bumgarner out of the game after five innings.
Bumgarner and four relievers combined to scatter nine hits and Justin Maxwell homered, helping the Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1.
Bumgarner (10-5) allowed a run and four hits with three strikeouts and a walk in his first start since July 10. The Giants won their sixth straight game and swept their second straight three-game series.
"It's not instructional league. It's not A-ball. It's the big leagues and we are judged on wins and losses," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. "We played a fairly clean game, which is encouraging but you need to win. That is what we are judged on."
Bumgarner praised the relievers as George Kontos, Javier Lopez, Hunter Strickland and Santiago Casilla kept the lead.
"We've got guys in the bullpen that are obviously capable of coming in and shutting the door, which they did," Bumgarner said. "It worked out great for us. They've been unbelievable."
Maxwell's seventh home run of the season gave the Giants a 1-0 lead off Arizona starter Patrick Corbin in the second inning. Corbin's hustle then helped even the score in the bottom of the inning when he beat the throw from second base on a double-play attempt.
With the bases loaded and one out, Corbin grounded to Brandon Crawford at shortstop, who got one out at second. Joe Panik's throw to first base was ruled in time to get Corbin, but Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale challenged the call and after review, it was overturned.
Welington Castillo scored from third on the play.
Hunter Pence's double in the third put the Giants ahead.
"We had our chances. We just need a big hit, two-out hits," Hale said. "You saw them (the Giants) pretty much throughout the whole series get them and we didn't. That's what it boils down to."
Bumgarner, fresh off his third career All-Star Game, improved to 4-0 in his last seven starts at Chase Field.
Kontos tossed two innings of scoreless relief. Lopez, Strickland and Casilla combined for two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, with Casilla earning his 24th save.
With a single, the Giants' Buster Posey has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 games.
Corbin (1-2) was charged with both runs and took the loss on his 26th birthday. He allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one.
"The homer was just over the plate and the one pitch I would like to take back was to Pence," Corbin said. "A breaking ball in the zone.
"A couple of bad pitches there, but I was happy how the last two innings felt," Corbin added. "I was able to go out there and be a little more aggressive and got into a rhythm."
TAKING A DIVE
Maxwell not only contributed with the bat, he was also handy with the glove. He took a hit away from the Diamondbacks' Ender Inciarte with a diving catch of a sinking liner to left-center field to end the fifth inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: The Giants placed backup C Andrew Susac on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right thumb before Sunday's game. Susac was injured in Saturday night's game. ... Relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt (left shoulder strain) threw his second rehab assignment for Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday and is getting closer to returning to the major-league roster, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
Diamondbacks: Starting pitcher Chase Anderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right triceps inflammation after pitching 3 2/3 innings on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Tim Hudson is scheduled to face San Diego on Monday night after being activated from the 15-day disabled list. Hudson (5-7) seeks his 220th career win and is 7-4 with a 2.89 earned run average in his career against the Padres.
Diamondbacks: RHP Rubby De La Rosa (6-5) pitches the series opener against Miami on Monday in Phoenix. He's 4-1 in nine home starts, and the Diamondbacks are 5-4 in those starts.