Bumgarner wins career-best 7th straight decision

SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner struck out eight over eight innings to win his career-best seventh straight decision, Buster Posey had season-high four hits, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.

Bumgarner (8-2) allowed four hits and two runs in a 113-pitch performance. His seven-game winning streak spanning 10 starts since an April 20 loss to Arizona is the longest by a Giants pitcher since Barry Zito’s seven consecutive victories Aug. 7-Oct. 2, 2012.

Angel Pagan returned from the disabled list with a hamstring injury and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a second wild pitch of the inning by loser Will Smith (1-1). Pagan also drove in a run on a groundout in the fifth off Carlos Torres, who relieved after Corey Knebel allowed a single and two walks to start the inning.

But Milwaukee tied it on Hernan Perez’s RBI single in the sixth that followed a two-out double by Jonathan Villar.

Bumgarner retired the first nine batters before Villar’s single up the middle leading off the fourth.

Santiago Casilla pitched a perfect ninth for his 14th save, retiring Ryan Braun on called third strike in an 11-pitch at-bat to end it as the Giants won for the 10th time in their last 12 games at AT&T Park.

while improving to 16-7 in one-run games.

Bumgarner has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 11 straight starts, the first Giants pitcher to do so since Hall of Famer Juan Marichal’s 11 in a row from Sept. 30, 1965, to May 26, 1966.

The Giants have won the last 10 times Bumgarner pitched and are 11-3 overall in his outings. He has 78 strikeouts to 18 walks over his last 10 starts. He beat out an infield single in the fourth that held up after review.

Milwaukee’s Jonathan Lucroy homered leading off the fifth to make it 1-1.

Gregor Blanco doubled in the second on a ball that dropped between Brewers right fielder Perez and second baseman Scooter Gennett, who hustled backward as Perez charged in but the ball dropped in shallow right.

Matt Garza went four innings in his season debut and return from a strained lat muscle on his pitching side. He allowed eight hits and one run, struck out five and walked one.

San Francisco got a two-out double by Brandon Belt in the first followed by Posey’s single but Matt Duffy struck out as the opportunity was squandered. But Brandon Crawford delivered a two-out RBI single in the second.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: LHP Chris Capuano threw a 45-pitch bullpen and is expected to pitch in a simulated game Thursday or Friday as he works back from elbow soreness in his pitching arm. If all goes well, he could soon begin a rehab assignment. ... RHP Michael Blazek (elbow impingement) allowed two runs and two hits with a walk in 1/3 of an inning for Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Giants: Belt was hit in the right foot by a 92 mph fastball from Torres in the sixth. ... RHP Matt Cain was placed back on the 15-day DL with the same right hamstring strain that landed him on the DL on May 28. Cain was just activated to pitch Monday night and allowed three runs, five hits and five walks in 3 2-3 innings in San Francisco’s 11-5 win. RHP Chris Stratton was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to take his roster spot. ... OF Mac Williamson was optioned to Sacramento to clear roster room for Pagan’s return.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (5-5, 3.43 ERA) lost to the Giants April 5 and is 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA in two overall starts.

Giants: Former Brewers nemesis RHP Johnny Cueto (9-1, 2.16) tries again for his 10th victory and his eighth straight winning start against the Brewers. Cueto, who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central, is 10-3 with a 2.79 ERA in 19 career starts vs. Milwaukee.