Madison Bumgarner closes out the first half with 14 Ks and a near no-hitter

The Giants ace took a no-hitter into the eighth inning

Giants ace Madison Bumgarner ended the first half on a high note -- and chased an even higher one.

Facing the Diamondbacks in the league's final game before the All-Star Break, Bumgarner carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. D-Backs third baseman Jake Lamb eventually broke the bid up, lining a single into right field with one out in the inning.

Lamb's single not only wrecked Bumgarner's try at his first career no-no, but derailed any hopes the Giants had of notching their 18th in franchise history -- or of extending their streak to five consecutive seasons with a no-hitter recorded before mid-July.

Pitcher	Date	Opponent
Matt Cain	06/13/12	Astros
Tim Lincecum	07/13/13	Padres
Tim Lincecum	06/25/14	Padres
Chris Heston	06/09/15	Mets

Bumgarner entered the night with 15 quality starts, a 2.09 ERA (or a 192 ERA+ for the league- and park-adjusted freaks out there) and a 4.26 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his first 18 starts. That he then recorded a 14-strikeout shutout ensured he entered the break with a sub-2.00 ERA and a legitimate claim as the best-performing starter in the National League.

The funny thing about that last part, of course, is that Bumgarner will sit out Tuesday's All-Star Game due to his Sunday night start. Consider that a fair trade for the Giants, who, behind Bumgarner, won their majors-leading 57th game and maintained their 6 1/2-game lead in the NL West. In case you couldn't tell, it's an even year.