By: Joe Lami

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—

One night after a pitching duel, the Giants and Nationals’ bats exploded on Friday night as they combined for 20 hits and 13 runs in an offensive shootout of a game that San Francisco was able to outlast Washington in the 8-5 victory.

It didn’t take the Nationals long to gain the lead Friday night, as they were able to get on the scoreboard just a dozen pitches into Matt Cain’s night.  A lead-off walk followed by a stolen base and two sacrifice flies led to the in the rare one run on no hit inning.

Matt Duffy tied things up in the bottom half of the first for his tenth home run of the season and his career.  He turned the Scherzer fastball out to the third row of the left field bleachers to bring the Giants right back in it.

Cain came out shaky in the second inning, as he served up a double to Clint Robinson who smoked it into triples alley, but it wouldn’t live up to its name as he stopped at second. Robinson would eventually try to take home on an easy ground ball to Brandon Crawford, but the All-Star shortstop gunned him out at home to keep things tied at one.

The Giants exploded for four runs on four doubles in the second inning. Four doubles in one inning ties a franchise record for most doubles in a single inning. It was the sixth time they’ve done so in the San Francisco era. Crawford, Justin Maxwell, Gregor Blanco and Duffy were those to do so. San Francisco had the 5-1 lead and all of the momentum coming out of the second inning. The momentum continued into the third, as Hunter Pence jumped on the first pitch of the inning. His eighth homer of the season to dead center over the 399 marker would make it 6-1.

Washington pushed for the come back in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on two home runs. Danny Espinosa kicked started the inning with a solo shot to left center field that bounced off the top of the wall and just had enough to get over.  Bryce Harper had the big sting in the inning thou, as he crushed a three-run shot to right for his league leading 30th of the year. 

The Giants would escape the inning with the lead in tact, much thanks to Jeremy Affeldt who came into finish the inning and earned the victory.

Two more Giants’ insurance runs came in the sixth and eighth innings, allowing the bullpen to do the rest and earn the 63rd victory of the season. “The bullpen’s just been terrific for us these last couple of nights,” added Giants’ manager, Bruce Bochy. Cain also commented on their performance, “what they did tonight was just tremendous, they kept it all together”.

Gregor Blanco and Duffy had outstanding nights at the plate. Duffy was just one triple shy of hitting for the cycle.  “I thought about it for a couple of pitches, and when I got caught looking at something good I decided to change my approach and let it come to me,” explained Duffy. 

While Blanco did everything for the orange and black Saturday night. On top of going three for five with two RBI, he had a diving catch in the outfield to rob Yunel Escobar of a single to end the third. He also beat out a play at the plate sliding into home for the Giants’ seventh run of the night. “He’s been playing with a lot of fire lately, and did it all tonight for us,” said Bochy.

Though Matt Cain didn’t pick up the victory, he pitched four very strong innings and one poor one as he is slowly coming back into form as one of the Giants’ aces. “I feel like I’m almost all the way there. It’s just one final step, nothing major, but I need to get past the hump and throw that one pitch when I need to,” he explained.

Even with the Giants’ victory, they don’t move any closer on the NL West or the second Wildcard spot. They still sit 2.5 games behind the Dodgers after their 5-3 victory over the Reds on Friday and 4.5 back of the Chicago Cubs, who beat up on their cross town rival White Sox 6-5.