Pirates’ Vance Worley stymies Giants bats

AT&T PARK — Coming off of a weekend sweep to the hated Dodgers, the Giants entered Monday night’s game against the Pirates looking to get back in the win column.

Pittsburgh starter and Sacramento native Vance Worley would have none of it.

With San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner in opposition, Worley (W, 4-1, 2.54 ERA) owned the Giants (57-49) throughout his first-career complete game on his way to a 5-0 shutout.

Bumgarner (L, 12-8, 3.41 ERA) had a tough time locating his pitches in the first inning. He threw 42 in the opening frame alone, allowing four runs to cross on three hits.

Bumgarner would last four innings, allowing five earned on six hits and two walks, including allowing a free pass to speedy Josh Harrison to open the game.

According to Bochy, Bumgarner:

“… was out of his rhythm in the first. His pitches were a little flat.”

In the first, Harrison and Andrew McCutchen walked, with Jordy Mercer getting a single in between them to load the bases for Gaby Sanchez.

Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly to plate the first Pittsburgh run. Neil Walker and Russell Martin followed with singles, and rookie Gregory Polanco capped the scoring with another sac-fly. The Pirates (56-49) sent eight men to the plate in the inning.

The Giants went down in order in the first, second, third — up until the fifth inning, for that matter. Pablo Sandoval collected the Giants’ first hit in the fifth, whacking a sharp single to right field.

The next batter, Michael Morse, grounded into a double play.

In the sixth, Gregor Blanco got aboard with a swinging bunt but was tossed out trying to steal second. After the game Bochy said:

“I think [Blanco] surprised all of us with that one.”

In the seventh, Joe Panik drew a walk before Buster Posey promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play.

It was just that kind of night for the Giants.

Through seven, Worley had still faced the minimum. With Pittsburgh 37-5 when leading after six, and 45-10 when they score more than four the Pirates were well on their way to a win.

When asked about the Giants’ recent struggles, Bochy said:

“We just have to stay positive. We have to toughen up. We need to grind it out and keep working.”

A rare bright spot in the game for the Giants was backup catcher Andrew Susac. After being called up late Friday night, Susac pinch-hit in the ninth and had a nice eight-pitch at-bat.

Though he eventually flied out to left after being down 0-2, Susac fouled off some pitches and showed the stage is not too big for him.

Notes

Monday’s game was the 303rd straight sellout at AT&T Park. … Dan Uggla had been 5-for-11 against Vance Worley lifetime, but Joe Panik got the start at second after Uggla’s rough night Sunday. … Yusmeiro Petit and Juan Gutierrez didn’t allow a hit once Madison Bumgarner left the game. … Pablo Sandoval collected two of the Giants three hits, both singles. …Worley’s best performance prior to Monday was also against the Giants in 2011 when he allowed just two hits and pitched a complete game. Monday was his first shutout. … Monday was the 12th time the Giants have been shut out this season. … The loss pushes the Giants deficit in the NL West to 2 games.