Madison Bumgarner hits HR off Kershaw, Giants sweep Dodgers

SAN FRANCISCO – Madison Bumgarner outpitching Clayton Kershaw is not that rare anymore. It has already happened three times this season.

The San Francisco Giants shutting out the Los Angeles Dodgers over a three-game series certainly is not common, but before this week it did take place as recently as three years ago.

Now, a pitcher taking Kershaw deep? That’s a first.

It occurred in the third inning Thursday, and it set the Giants on course to their third consecutive whitewashing of the Dodgers, a 4-0 victory that extended San Francisco’s winning streak to a season-high six games. It also marked the first time since 1972 the Giants have taken six in a row at home from their longtime rivals.

But the biggest topic of conversation afterward was Bumgarner’s no-doubt blast to left field, which he admittedly relished, and not just because if accounted for the first run of the game.

“He’s the best pitcher in baseball, for sure,’’ Bumgarner said of Kershaw. “To be able to do that, run into one, is pretty special.’’

So was the Giants’ pitching staff, which tossed its seventh shutout in May – they lead the majors overall with eight – as the defending World Series champions continue their impressive turnaround after starting the season 4-10. By going 19-8 since then, San Francisco has trimmed the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West to 1 ½ games.

Remarkably, it was less than three years ago – June 25-27, 2012 – that the Giants shut out Los Angeles in all three games of a series, also at AT&T Park.

The Dodgers brought the majors’ leading on-base and slugging percentages into Tuesday’s series opener, and they had hit more homers than any other NL team, but got skunked as they went 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position in the series.

“You don’t come here and think you’re not going to score a run for three days,’’ said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who was also at the helm for the previous three-game blanking.

Despite the Dodgers losing Kershaw’s previous two starts against the Giants this season – both opposing Bumgarner, one of them a no-decision – the three-time Cy Young Award winner boasted a 14-6 career record and a sparkling 1.51 ERA when facing San Francisco.

But he couldn’t afford many mistakes with Bumgarner starting on the other side, let alone grooving him a meatball.

“Fastball right down the middle,’’ Kershaw said after yielding the first homer ever to his opposite number. “I should have had a little more respect for him, I guess.’’

Bumgarner’s no ordinary pitcher masquerading as a hitter, having won the Silver Slugger award last season after belting four home runs – including two grand slams – and driving in 15 runs.

He had not swung the bat well this season, though, with only one hit in 17 at-bats coming in, which he and manager Bruce Bochy blamed partly on getting too pull-happy. He did pull the drive against Kershaw, 415 feet and deep into the left-field bleachers, and nobody in orange and black objected.

“I have been working on trying to stay in and go the other way a little bit,’’ said Bumgarner, who gave up seven hits and often pitched out of trouble while improving to 5-2.

Bumgarner quickly added that he didn’t mean to sound as if he were a regular hitter, but first baseman Brandon Belt wasn’t about to buy it. He has long seen the prodigious swings Bumgarner takes.

“He’s shooting for the fence every time he goes up there. You’re going to connect every now and then. I don’t give him too much credit for that,’’ Belt said with tongue in cheek. “No, it’s awesome. You love having a pitcher in your lineup (helping) his own cause, and that’s what Bum does. I know he definitely makes the opposing pitcher feel uncomfortable up there.’’

After the sweep, the Dodgers hitters were not feeling all that comfy either.