Before Friday's contest against the Dodgers, Madison Bumgarner received his second straight Silver Slugger award as the best hitting pitcher in the National League. On Saturday, he showed he's aiming for a three-peat.
With the game tied at no runs apiece in the bottom of the second inning, Bumgarner stepped in the box against reigning NL Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw.
The Dodgers ace looked to blow a fastball past Bumgarner with the count 1-1, but Bumgarner had other thoughts. He hit a 400-foot home run over the left field wall, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead.
Bumgarner's home run gave him 12 for his career, tying him for the lead among active pitchers with Yovani Gallardo of the Baltimore Orioles.
[RELATED: POLL: Should National League adopt DH?]
The 12 long balls puts Bumgarner tied for 54th among all pitchers in MLB history. Wes Ferrell is the all-time leader with 38.
This is the second straight year Bumgarner has taken Kershaw deep. He launched a solo shot off the lefty on May 21 of last season.
Kershaw, in his ninth season this year, has only given up multiple home runs to 17 different players, including the postseason. Adam Dunn leads the group with four homers.
Bumgarner is the only pitcher to hit a home run off Kershaw.
