Nationals 2 - 1 Giants
Final
  for this game

Morse Code: Nats try to tap into Giants by the Bay

Jun 7, 2011 - 3:14 PM (Sports Network) - Washington's Mike Morse has been driving in runs at a rapid pace over the past few weeks, but unfortunately he hasn't been getting a lot of help as of late.

Morse will try to help the Nationals avoid a 12th loss in 17 games this evening in the continuation of a three-game series versus the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.

The 29-year-old Morse is hitting .371 (23-for-62) with seven homers and 22 RBI over his past 15 games and homered for a second game in a row last night versus the Giants. He led off the second inning with a solo blast and added a two-run double in the third inning to help Washington jump out to a four-run lead, but the offense went silent from there and the Giants rallied for a 5-4 victory in 13 innings.

"Our pitchers did great, their pitchers did great," Morse told Washington's website. "There was a lot of stoppage for a lot of innings on both sides."

Aaron Rowand hit a solo homer and Aubrey Huff knocked in two runs and scored the tying run in the eighth inning on Nate Schierholtz's pinch-hit single. Freddy Sanchez later played the hero with a run-scoring single to right in the 13th inning for San Francisco's fifth victory in six games.

"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.

San Francisco, which leads the National League West by a game over Arizona, won despite ace Tim Lincecum lasting just five innings and allowing four runs on five hits and three walks. However, the righty did strike out five to become the eighth pitcher since 1900 to reach 1,000 strikeouts in his first five major league seasons.

Washington, which fell to 2-3 on an 11-game road trip, got a solid outing from starter John Lannan, who was charged with one run on four hits over seven innings, and hopes for a similar effort tonight from right-hander Jordan Zimmermann.

Zimmermann has allowed more than two runs in just one of his past six starts and snapped a two-start slide on Thursday in Arizona. He hurled seven innings of one-run ball in a 6-1 win, improving to 3-6 with a 3.61 earned run average in 11 starts this season.

"He's really finding his way," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said of his 25- year-old starter. "He's starting to establish himself as a guy who can pitch at the front end of a rotation."

Zimmermann beat the Giants on May 1, giving up two runs over six innings and is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts in this series.

Countering for the Giants is Jonathan Sanchez, who won for the first time in four starts on Thursday at St. Louis. The left-hander allowed three runs on four hits and six walks over 5 1/3 innings, but got plenty of support in a 12-7 victory to improve to 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 12 starts this season.

Sanchez has walked a season-high six batters in three of his outings this year, including a no-decision versus Washington on April 30. Despite the free passes, the 28-year-old was charged with just one unearned run over five innings and is 1-1 with a 4.07 ERA in seven career meetings with Washington, including four starts.

Sanchez has been solid in five home starts this season, going 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA.

The Nationals won three of four when it hosted the Giants from April 29-May 2.






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