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Nats attempt to start new winning streak against Giants

Aug 23, 2014 - 1:24 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Washington's 10-game winning streak is over, but Jordan Zimmermann gives his team a great chance for a bounce-back triumph this afternoon when the Nationals continue their series against the San Francisco Giants.

Zimmermann is 2-0 over his last six appearances and hasn't lost since July 11 at Philadelphia. He is 4-2 with a 2.89 ERA in seven career games versus the Giants.

Despite tossing a no-hitter on June 25 against San Diego, two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum is having another subpar season. The Giants right-hander also hasn't fared well against the Nationals, as evidenced by a 1-5 mark with a 6.08 ERA in nine career starts. He's dropped three straight outings at Nationals Park and has posted an 8.82 ERA in those starts.

Lincecum is coming off a victory at home against the Phillies on Sunday and allowed two runs. Before that, he had given up a total of 20 runs in a four- start span in which he went 0-2. A win today would be the 100th of Lincecum's career.

The Giants today have a big opportunity. They are 3 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, but currently control one of the two wild card spots. The Giants have not won a series against a team with a winning record since taking three of four games at St. Louis from May 29 - June 1.

Also, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy is just two wins shy of 1,600 in his career.

Last night, Joe Panik had a career-high four hits, including his first career home run, in a 10-3 final. Panik drove in three and scored twice to help make a winner out of Tim Hudson (9-9), who allowed two runs -- one earned -- on five hits and a walk over 5 1/3 innings to snap a personal five-start winless drought.

"We showed a lot of character," said Panik. "Fister is having a great year and we were able to get to him."

Buster Posey homered with two RBI and Travis Ishikawa knocked in a pair of runs for San Francisco, which won for the fifth time in its last six games.

Hunter Pence, Pablo Sandoval and Gregor Blanco each had an RBI in the victory.

Doug Fister (12-4) lost for just the second time in his last 11 starts, surrendering four runs on seven hits and a walk over six innings of work.

Washington was in search of its first 11-game winning streak since returning back to the nation's capital in 2005, when the Nats also won 10 straight from June 2-12.

"We have to come back tomorrow ready to play and start a new one," Fister said of the streak.

Jayson Werth had a home run among his two hits and Wilson Ramos had an RBI for Washington.

The Giants have gone 22-10 versus the NL East this season, but have dropped 11 of their last 17 games against Washington.