As returns go, we'd like to return it

For the record; not exactly the way we would have drawn that one up.

The post-All Star Break portion of the 2016 season got off to a bumpy start Friday. Despite having their ace on the hill for the second straight start, the best team in baseball looked nothing like that moniker in a 4-1 loss at San Diego.

We felt roughly the same way, Boch. (Twitter photo)

With the setback, the Giants (57-34) saw their lead in the NL West shrink to 5 1/2 games over Los Angels, which scored a 13-7 win over Arizona up Interstate 5 at Chavez Latrine. In a stat we should start paying more attention to, San Francisco has a two-game lead over Washington in the battle for home field in the National League.

Madison Bumgarner was magnificent in his last outing before the break, throwing a complete-game one-hitter. Five days later it was a different story as the home-standing Friars beat the Giants for the first time in 10 tries this season. Flamethrower Andrew Cashner, a former closer turned six-inning starter, outdueled MadBum while the San Francisco offense acted like it was still on break.

It's a testament to Bumgarner's greatness that a four-run performance is considered a disappointment. What's more disappointing is a frustrating trend; the Giants couldn't provide any offensive cover for their big gun. It's becoming repetitive.

What wouldn't repeat was Bumgarner's quest for greatness. It took him a few tosses to find a groove, and that interim warm-up period opened a window for Yangervis Solarte's RBI double in the first that gave the hosts a 1-0 edge.

It was a quick response for San Francisco in the top of the second. Brandon Crawford doubled over the head of pretending-to-be-a-left fielder Christian Bethancourt, and Conor Gillaspie's single evened the score. It was the last time the Giants would score.

Bumgarner set down the next four, three on strikes, before a pair of singles past (and off of) Gillaspie at third set the table for Matt Kemp, who lined one back up the middle to put San Diego back on top. That started the picket fence. One inning later Adam Rosales took MadBum deep, and Wil Myers did likewise in the following frame as San Diego built a 4-1 lead after five.

MadBum pitched around a lead off double in the sixth but, at 103 pitches,  his night was done. He wound up striking out nine, giving up his four runs on seven hits and a walk.

Cashner (6IP, 1R, 4H, 9K) was similarly finished, and the Giants certainly weren't sorry to see Brad Hand in his place. It hardly mattered; Hand set the Giants down in order in the seventh. Dale Buchter used a double play to get through the eighth cleanly.

Closer Brandon Maurer's ninth inning saw the Giants go in porder, but at least it was entertaining. Solarte snagged Angel Pagan's condiment-laden foul ball for the first out, then a frustrated Brandon Belt went down looking. His fourth K of the night resulted in a explosion that got him toss from the game (like he missed much), and Bruce Bochy got a jump on the postgame buffet when he said the magic word in defense of his All-Star first baseman.

A Buster Posey ground out ended it; how boring.

Sometimes it's just not your night. (AP Photo)

The Giants amassed just five hits, so maybe Amassed is the wrong word. Regardless, singles by Mac Williamson, Denard Span and Ramiro Pena augmented the the Crawford and Gillaspie safeties.

The Giants bullpen avoided implosion; they certainly were rested, although George Kontos provided some drama. A walk, stolen base and Posey's first throwing error of the season put Travis Jankowski at third with one gone in the seventh with none out, but a strikeout of Derek Norris was followed by Myers' screaming liner to short. Jankowski was doubled off to end the frame. 

Derek Law rounded out the pitching ledger with a quiet eighth.

The Giants' league-best mark is astounding considering the health of the club, but that may soon change. Hunter Pence begins a rehab assignment with Sacramento on Saturday and Joe Panik has passed concussion protocols and will soon join him. Ehire Adrianza is already rehabbing at high-A San Jose, while Matt Duffy is taking BP with the big club again; although no timetable is set for his return.

Matt Cain threw for Single-A San Jose Friday and got lit (10 hits, nine runs) amid the tumbleweeds and tarantulas at Lancaster (the 25-mph winds blowing out to right didn't help) but is on pace to return to the big club. Reliever Cory Gearrin's arm issues have subsided and he's throwing on the side with an eye on returning during the next home stand.

As now constituted, the Giants jump back into the surf at San Diego on Saturday with Jeff Samardzija (9-5, 3.91 ERA) matching up with Luis Perdomo (3-4, 7.48 ERA).

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