San Francisco Giants’ Gregor Blanco, right, drives in three runs with a bases-loaded double against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning of a baseball game on Saturday, May 11, 2013, in San Francisco.SAN FRANCISCO – Madison Bumgarner didn’t take any personal satisfaction from his first career victory over the Atlanta Braves.
There’s no doubt what it meant to his team.
Bumgarner struck out a season-high 11 over seven innings, Gregor Blanco entered in the fifth as a pinch hitter and drove in four runs, and the San Francisco Giants routed the Atlanta Braves 10-1 Saturday.
The North Carolina native grew up rooting for the Braves and had been winless against them in four previous starts. Bumgarner (4-1) gave up just four hits and walked two, winning for the first time since April 13.
“They’ve got as good a shot as anybody to play October baseball,” Bumgarner said of the Braves. “When you play a team like that, you want to play your best baseball, too.”