Giants bats wilt under Saturday sunshine

AT&T PARK — It’s tough being Ryan Vogelsong these days.

Despite posting a 2.98 ERA (8 ER, 24-2/3 IP) in his last four starts, he’s lost every outing, including Saturday afternoon’s 2-0 shutout at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Vogelsong (L, 5-7, 3.86 ERA) had zero run support for the fourth straight time. He went 6-1/3 innings this time out and gave up two earned runs, no walks and struck out four.

Vogelsong admitted disbelief about the silent offense when he takes the mound after Saturday’s loss:

“It’s kind of crazy that it keeps happening to me, but it’s stuff that you go through during a season. It’s like anything else like, like injury or not playing good, you keep fighting and come out the other side.”

Vogelsong described himself as pitching with “a lot of a cold” during the game.

Manager Bruce Bochy was impressed with Vogelsong’s performance:

“It’s gotta be a little frustrating. He threw so well today. What a great job he did. … Quality start, good stuff, he hit the spots well. We just couldn’t get him some support there.”

Aaron Hill got the Diamondbacks on the board first with a solo home run to left field in the fourth off Vogelsong’s 1-1 changeup.

The homer was Hill’s seventh of the season and was promptly thrown back to Michael Morse while Hill rounded the bases.

When asked after the game if the team has been getting frustrated, Morse quipped back to the media:

“The only people frustrated are you guys. We’re trying to play our best, man.”

Hill doubled later in the seventh and was driven in by an RBI single from Gerardo Parra to make it 2-0.

That’s all starter Wade Miley and Diamondbacks pitchers needed. Miley (W, 5-6, 4.18 ERA) hurled seven scoreless innings walking three and striking out four.

The Giants had an opportunity in the eighth with runners on first and second. Gregor Blanco was originally called safe on a close play at first with Miley covering.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson came out shortly after to have the play reviewed. The call was overturned with the rational being that Blanco did not touch the bag.

He moved the runners to second and third, but pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez lined out to a diving Paul Goldschmidt at first to end the inning.

Closer Addison Reed shut the door on the Giants with a perfect ninth for his 21st save of the season.

Marco Scutaro made his season debut Saturday recovering from a back injury. Scutaro walked in his first at-bat after a standing ovation from Giants fans.

He took all six pitches in the at-bat and finished all nine innings 0-for-3 with one strikeout.

Scutaro talked about how it felt to rejoin the team after the game:

“It felt good. It’s nice to be back on the field. Unfortunately, we did not win the game today, but it’s always nice to get back.”

When asked about the Giants’ recent struggles, he simply replied:

“It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. There’s still a long way to go.”

It is still up in the air whether he will play tomorrow.

Scutaro did say his back “got tighter” later in the game and that it’s still “not 100 percent.”

The Giants will wrap up the series Sunday when Madison Bumgarner (9-7, 3.36 ERA) battles righty Chase Anderson (6-4, 3.64 ERA). Game time is 1:05 p.m.

Notes

Vogelsong became the first Giants starting pitcher to receive no runs of support in four-straight outings during a single season since Lynn McGlothen from April 16, 1977 to May 1, 1977… Today’s loss was the first shutout the Giants suffered against the Diamondbacks since August 27, 2010… Morse matched his season-high nine-game hitting streak with a single in the fourth (also hit safely in nine-straight games from April 2 to April 11).

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