Madison Bumgarner struck out a season-high 11 over seven innings, Gregor Blanco entered in the fifth as a pinch hitter and drove in four runs, and the San Francisco Giants routed the Atlanta Braves 10-1 Saturday.
The left-handed Bumgarner baffled the Braves, getting them to chase his fastball up in the zone and bite on curveballs in the dirt. Bumgarner (4-1) gave up just four hits and walked two, snapping a string of four starts without a victory.
Blanco had a three-run double and triple in setting a career high for RBIs.
San Francisco's rotation, considered one of the best in the majors, has struggled early this season. But ace Matt Cain tossed eight innings of three-hit ball in Friday's win, and coupled with Bumgarner's effort, the Giants can claim the four-game series with a victory in Sunday's finale.
It was a frustrating day for the National League East-leading Braves. Dan Uggla struck out four times and Chris Johnson went down swinging three times. After a victory in Thursday's opener, the Braves have mustered just 10 hits and been outscored 18-3.
Lefty Paul Maholm (4-4) lasted just 4 1-3 innings and was charged with six runs on eight hits.
Pablo Sandoval's homer in the first gave the Giants an early lead. Brandon Crawford doubled in a run in the fourth to make it 2-0, one of two hits the left-handed hitting Crawford had off Maholm.
Maholm entered Saturday having yielded just four hits to lefties all season.
