LOS ANGELES (AP) — On a night when two of the Giants’ runs came in on wild pitches by Clayton Kershaw and three errors were committed by their middle infielders, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy could only look at his team’s latest loss as something he’d like his players to put behind them as quickly as possible.
Madison Bumgarner didn’t pitch like an ace against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ top starter, giving up seven runs over five-plus innings and losing 7-3 on Friday. Three of the runs were unearned, the result of two errors by shortstop Kelby Tomlinson and one by second baseman Joe Panik.
Tomlinson, who played primarily at second base last season as a rookie, made his first start at shortstop in the big leagues on the same day that Ehire Adrianza went on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken left foot that is expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks.
“Tomlinson’s getting settled in his new role, and it’s not an easy role for a young guy,” Bochy said. “With Adrianza going down, he’s going to have to play shortstop occasionally. The tough thing is, he’s got to put this behind him. That’s what a young player has to deal with. Adversity separates the average player from the good player.”
Bumgarner (1-1) gave up seven runs — four earned — and five hits in five-plus innings while striking out seven. The 2014 World Series and NLCS MVP was 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his other three head-to-head showdowns with Kershaw at Dodger Stadium.
“He made a few mistakes, a few more than normal, but we didn’t play a clean game. That would have helped matters,” Bochy said. “That’s very uncommon for us, because we usually catch the ball. But it’s going to happen occasionally.”
Kike Hernandez homered his first two times up, drove in four runs and prevented two more with a diving catch in left field that robbed Buster Posey of a double in the third inning.
Hernandez drove Bumgarner’s first pitch to center field for his first career leadoff homer.
Two innings later, he deposited a 2-0 offering into the left-field pavilion for his first career two-homer game, giving Kershaw a 2-1 lead.
“I tried to make good pitches to him, but he’s just seeing the ball really good, apparently,” Bumgarner said.
The only other players to homer off Bumgarner twice in one game were the Dodgers’ Justin Turner on Sept. 23, 2014, at Los Angeles, and the Diamondbacks’ Aaron Hill on April 7, 2012, at Arizona.
“It’s a long season. We play a lot of games, and you’re probably going to see a little of everything,” Bumgarner said.
Hernandez also homered against Bumgarner last Sept. 29 at San Francisco in an 8-0 win by Kershaw, who pitched a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts that night.
Kershaw (2-0) was charged with three runs — two earned — and five hits over seven innings with six strikeouts and no walks.
This was the sixth time in Kershaw’s last seven starts against the Giants that his mound opponent was Bumgarner. Neither got a decision last Saturday in San Francisco, where the Dodgers won 3-2 in 10 innings.
“I just look forward to going out there every fifth day. None of them’s any different,” Bumgarner said. “I know it’s not a very fun answer, but it’s the truth. I just love going out there pitching and competing — not necessarily any more because it’s against Kershaw.”
Bumgarner, who homered against Kershaw for the second time in their previous matchup, led off the third with a single and scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch to Posey. Hernandez minimized the damage with a diving catch of Posey’s sinking liner.
Hernandez added a bases-loaded, two-run double that capped a four-run fourth and increased Los Angeles’ lead to 6-1, after Charlie Culberson’s two-run single. Culberson singled home another run in the sixth to make it 7-3.
Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, combined with two relievers to end San Francisco’s franchise-record streak of 10 consecutive games from the start of a season with a home run. The Giants connected eight times in their previous series with the Dodgers.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Placed RHP Sergio Romo and Adrianza on the 15-day disabled list and replaced them on the roster with OF Mac Williamson and RHP Derek Law. Romo has a strained flexor tendon in his right elbow and is on the DL for the third time in his career — all because of elbow injuries.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto pitched seven innings in his first two starts, going 2-0 despite a 4.50 ERA.
Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (1-0) opposes Cueto for the second time in seven days, after allowing six runs and seven hits in a no-decision last Sunday at San Francisco.