Your 2012 Giants: Game 2 of the NLDS: Arroyo vs. Bumgarner

Wow, that did not go well at all.  I was so excited for our chances when Cueto left the game, but then Cain gave up those dingers - first runs ever given up in the playoffs - and the Giants could not do anything much against the Reds' relievers.  As the team motto goes, they have to move on... to Game 2.

Game 2:  Arroyo vs. Bumgarner

Bronson Arroyo: Arroyo's 3.74 ERA this season was the second-lowest of the 13-year veteran's career. The right-hander faced the Giants twice this season. He tossed five innings of one-run ball in April and then gave up two runs in six innings on July 1.

Madison Bumgarner:  Bumgarner established career highs for wins and innings (208 1/3) this year. He's accustomed to October pressure, finishing 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in four 2010 postseason outings.

Arroyo has the worse ERA among the Reds starters with a 3.75 ERA.  Saturn Nuts (apparently his nickname) has a 4.11 ERA in 6 starts in SF, he is 0-4, with only 19 K's vs. 18 walks in 35.0 IP.  He has  an .686 OPS against RHB but .831 OPS against LHB.  Wow, who on the Giants haven't done well against him, check the link for the great details.

Bumgarner has 3 starts against the Reds in AT&T, 3.85 ERA, so very close to what Arroyo has given up, implying that it could should be a tight game again.  He has done well against most Reds hitters, but has had trouble with Votto (who hasn't?), Phillips, Hannigan, Stubbs in the past.

ogc thoughts

Clearly, Madison needs to stand tall for the Giants and win this game for us.  Each game is pretty much do or die now for the Giants.  Cain did OK for us, he was only 1 IP away from a DOM start (4 PQS) but obviously the homers lost it for us.  Bumgarner will need to do better and shut down the Reds.  While Votto has been good against him, he has not been Votto-good, so that is a plus.  Madison needs to minimize the damage done when the big guns come in banging.

Of course, the hitting needs to improve too.  They got on base a lot but left 19 runners on base, they were just missing the key big hits, except when Posey hit that homer.  Still, he left 3 runners, Sandoval 4, and Pence didn't get a hit at all.  The three of them need to pick it up in Game 2.  Pagan and Scutaro need to do something up top as well, for the three to try to do something.  I'm hoping everyone was tight for game 1, and that they can loosen up now for game 2.  They must or our season will not have that epic an ending.

With many Giants hitters having a good history against Arroyo, and he doesn't do well against LHB - and we have a lot of them who start - plus Bumgarner has done relatively well against the Reds in the past, plus individually as well, I have to lean towards the Giants winning, but as we saw in game 1, things can change dramatically against you very quickly.

Go Bumgarner!

Go Giants!