Everybody knows about the Giants’ heroics in even years. They won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and now they got past the 2016 Wild Card Round. Madison Bumgarner pitched a four-hit shutout, and Conor Gillaspie hit a three-run homer in the ninth to lift San Francisco past the New York Mets on the road.
Gillaspie was touted by many as the star of the game, but Bumgarner’s performance can’t be overlooked. The lefty went the distance and allowed just four hits and walked two while striking four. It was Bumgarner’s second straight NL Wild Card shutout, and now has 23 straight scoreless innings in the postseason.
That was not all, however, as Bumgarner is now in elite company when it comes to performance in the playoffs.
Bumgarner climbed to the top of the all-time standings in road ERA during the postseason. Wednesday’s shutout lowered his mark to a sparkling 0.50. He sits above the likes of Bob Gibson (0.97), Mariano Rivera (1.02) and Sandy Koufax (1.04). He’s really unstoppable, and the Giants know they can ride him when things get tough. That will be the case when the Giants take on the Chicago Cubs for a spot in the NLCS.
Jon Lester and Max Scherzer might be frontrunners to win the NL Cy Young Award. Clayton Kershaw might be the best pitcher in all of baseball. And other pitchers have merits to rank among the best, too. But Bumgarner continues to defy logic. His performance against the Mets showed why he’s the best big-game pitcher in the Majors.
After all, it’s an even year. So the Giants will always be a threat. Just ask Bumgarner.