Nationals 4 - 5 Giants
Final/13
  for this game

Giants edge Nationals in extras

Jun 7, 2011 - 7:07 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Freddy Sanchez singled into right field to score Chris Stewart in the 13th inning and lift the Giants over the Nationals, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game series.

Aubrey Huff knocked in two and scored the tying run in the eighth inning for the Giants, who rallied from a 4-0 deficit to win for the fifth time in six games.

Aaron Rowand hit a solo homer, while Javier Lopez (3-1) got out of bases- loaded jam in the 12th and threw a perfect 13th to earn the victory.

"The pen really stepped up to give us a chance." said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, referring to the eight shutout innings thrown by his six relievers.

Mike Morse homered and drove in three runs, and John Lannan allowed one run on four hits in his seven-inning start for the Nationals.

The Giants' offense came through late to take Tim Lincecum off the hook for the loss, as the two-time Cy Young Award winner had the shortest outing of his season, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks.

Lincecum lasted just five innings, though he did strike out five to become the eighth pitcher since 1900 to total 1,000 strikeouts in his first five major league seasons.

Craig Stammen (0-1), in his first appearance with the Nationals this season, walked Stewart to open the 13th and gave up a one-out single to Andres Torres. Miguel Tejada beat out a possible double-play ball to keep the inning alive, and Sanchez went the other way to finish off the comeback.

Morse led off the second inning with his ninth home run of the season, and the Nationals put their first three hitters on in the third, including Lannan reaching on a leadoff walk.

Laynce Nix brought in Lannan without a fielder's choice ground ball, and Morse knocked in two with a gapper to right-center.

Rowand started San Francisco's rally with a leadoff homer in the seventh, and the hosts got three more off Washington's bullpen in the eighth.

Sean Burnett relieved Todd Coffey with two on and one out and promptly gave up a two-run bloop down the right-field line to Huff. Three batters later, Nate Schierholtz slapped a pinch-hit single to left off Henry Rodriguez, scoring Huff for a 4-4 game.

Pinch-hitter Pat Burrell struck out to strand a pair in scoring position, and Torres was thrown out at home in the ninth trying to score on Cody Ross's bouncer to short.

Game Notes

The other seven pitchers to record 1,000 strikeouts in their first five MLB seasons are: Tom Seaver, Bert Blyleven, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dwight Gooden, Kerry Wood, Hideo Nomo and Mark Langston...The Giants have eight wins in the their final at-bat at home this season...The Nationals stranded nine runners, going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.






Related News