Madison Bumgarner finally looked more like the four-time All-Star and one-time World Series Most Valuable Player he has been on Sunday afternoon in Washington D.C., and his best start of the season helped the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Washington Nationals 5-2 for a split of the four-game series.
The burly left-hander held the Nationals to a run on two hits over five innings, with five strikeouts and a walk. Bumgarner (1-2) had given up five runs or more in his previous three starts this season, and had only lasted five innings one other time.
The Diamondbacks bullpen survived the second of a pair of Trea Turner home runs and finished up for Bumgarner, with Stefan Crichton earning his first save of the season despite having the tying run at the plate with two outs in the ninth.