• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Pudge, Zimmermann lead Nats over Giants

May 2, 2011 - 12:38 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ivan Rodriguez had two hits and two RBI to lead the Nationals to a 5-2 win over the Giants in the continuation of a four- game set.

Jordan Zimmermann (2-4) threw six innings for the win, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four to help the Nationals to their third victory in four games.

Matt Cain (2-2) took the loss in six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

San Francisco suffered its seventh loss in its last 10 games.

"I wasn't very good. I felt like I was behind in a lot of counts, giving those guys a lot of opportunities to get on base and good pitches to hit. So it was one of those days you kind of have to grind through it," said Cain of his performance.

In the second inning, Nate Schierholtz dropped a double on the left field chalk line that scored Miguel Tejada and Mike Fontenot to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.

Washington moved with a run on Alex Cora's RBI double in the bottom half of the second, which scored Laynce Nix after he led off the inning with a single, moved to second on an Adam LaRoche walk and reached third on a fly out by Rodriguez.

The Nationals tied the game in the third when they managed to load the bases with two outs. Rick Ankiel and LaRoche walked on both sides of a Jayson Werth single, and Ankiel came home on a wild pitch by Cain.

Rodriguez and Cora led off the fourth with back-to-back singles and were moved to second and third on a bunt by Zimmerman. Rodriguez was then brought home on a Jerry Hairston Jr. groundout to give the Nats a 3-2 lead.

Washington extended its lead in the eighth with a Rodriguez single that plated Danny Espinosa and Ian Desmond. Pinch-hitter Espinosa walked to lead off the inning and Desmond followed two batters later with a single to put men on first and second. With Rodriguez batting, Espinosa stole third and Desmond stole second on consecutive pitches before Rodriguez hit a line drive to center field to make the score 5-2.

"Nix, Cora, Hairston, obviously Pudge, when we put somebody in there like that, they've got experience and they know how to play," said Nationals manager Jim Riggleman of the talent of his bench players.

Drew Storen entered in the ninth for Washington and worked around a one-out double by Fontenot to earn his fifth save of the season.

Game Notes

Sunday's game was the 500th played in Washington D.C. since the franchise moved from Montreal in the 2005 season...Washington won despite hitting 2- for-12 with runners in scoring position and leaving six men on base.