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Zito, Giants rally to beat Nationals

Jun 8, 2008 - 10:41 PM By Rich Dubroff PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- On an unbearably hot day in Washington, San Francisco Giants lefthander Barry Zito was able to overcome the elements.

With a game-time temperature of 94 degrees, Zito battled through five innings for his second win of the season Sunday as the Giants rallied for a 6-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Zito (2-9) seemed on the verge of becoming the first pitcher with double-figure losses this season, but the

Giants erased a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the fifth inning.

Zito, one of baseball's highest-paid pitchers, has been one of the game's biggest disappointment this year. On Sunday, he managed to get through five innings, allowing three runs and seven hits with four walks.

"I battled," Zito said. "I gave up a few hits on some good pitches. I fell behind a few times to some guys. The team stayed in it."

Zito started 0-8, but has won two of his last three decisions. He allowed single runs to Washington, which has lost seven of its last eight games, in the first, third and fourth inning. Zito then survived a fifth inning in which the Nationals loaded the bases before Wily Mo Pena popped up for the final out.

"Zito was OK," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He didn't have his great command. He was all right. Sure (was) a tough day for pitchers out there. It was smoking.

"His start wasn't as good as his two or three previous ones. It's been getting better. His stuff has really picked up since the first month."

While Zito staggered to a win, the Giants' bullpen was outstanding. Jack Taschner pitched two perfect innings, Keiichi Yabu tossed a scoreless eighth and Brian Wilson worked a scoreless ninth for his 17th save.

Zito's teammates and manager have lauded his attitude.

"He's been great," Bochy said. "He's handled it (the losing) as well as he can. He's a stand-up guy. "He's worked hard to come out of it, and he's been working hard to get out of it."

While Zito struggled, Garrett Mock (0-1), who was summoned from Class AAA Columbus to start the game, managed to stay afloat for the first four innings in his major league debut. Mock allowed hits in every inning was bailed out by double plays three times in the first four frames.

In the fifth, with the Giants trailing 3-0, Emmanuel Burriss led off with a single and stole second. Steve Holm walked, and both runners advanced on Mock's balk. After Zito grounded out to the moun, Mock walked Fred Lewis and Jose Castillo to force in a run.

Saul Rivera replaced Mock and allowed a two-run single to Randy Winn. Aaron Rowand then lined a shot that bounced off the head of shortstop Cristian Guzman to score the go-ahead run.

"It just hit something in the dirt, popped up and hit (Guzman) in the head," Rowand said. "Made up for the bullet I hit right at him that he made a good play on my first (at-bat). It all evens out."

That turned out to be enough for Zito to win.

"Wins aren't definitely everything for a pitcher," Zito added. "I'm really happy the team has won the games I've started recently. For me, individually, things could be a lot better right now."

Mock, who allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, was optioned back to Columbus after the game to make room for Monday's starter, Tyler Clippard.

Washington general manager Jim Bowden told Mock this was a one-and-done start for him.

"It took all the pressure away," Mock said. "Jim told me if I threw a perfect game, I still was going down. I asked him: 'If I pitch a perfect game, hit a bomb off Barry Zito and lay down a sacrifice bunt, could I stay?' He said, then I could stay."

John Bowker, added his second home run in two days, a two-run shot, in the seventh off Joel Hanrahan to make it 6-3. Ray Durham, who had four hits, doubled with two outs, and scored on the homer.

Lastings Milledge's fourth home run of the year, hit in the bottom of the first, gave Washington a 1-0 lead. They took a 2-0 lead in the third on Milledge's RBI single.

Aaron Boone led off the fourth with a double, moved to third on a single by Wily Mo Pena and after Kory Casto walked, Boone scored on Wil Nieves' sacrifice fly.