Tag: Washington Nationals

San Francisco Giants baserunner Curt Casali who scored the winning run in the eighth inning on LeMonte Wade’s single claps in the second game of a doubleheader at Nationals Park in Washington DC on Sat Jun 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Playing in the area where he grew up for the first time as a major leaguer, LaMonte Wade, Jr., came up with the biggest hit of the game.

Wade hit a single in the top of the eighth inning, helping the San Francisco Giants to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Nationals, giving them the split of the doubleheader and the Giants became the third team in the major leagues and first in the National League to 40 wins, as they join the Chicago White Sox (40 wins) and the Tampa Bay Rays (41 wins).

The native of Baltimore, who went to the University of Maryland, just across the District line in College Park drove in Curt Casali, who was on second base to start the inning.

After a wild pitch by Kyle Finnegan sent Wade to second, Donovan Solano hit a ground ball that saw Trea Turner throw to Josh Harrison; however, Wade, Jr., slid underneath the tag. Brandon Belt then walked to load the bases with nobody out.

Wilmer Flores pulled the ball into left field and it dropped for a single to easily score Wade, Jr., from third base, and the bases stayed loaded.

The Nationals finally retired a batter, as Ryan Zimmerman made a nifty bare-handed play at first base and threw to Yan Gomes at home for the first out of the inning to retire Belt.

Prior to the Wade, Jr,, single, Mike Yastrzemski came up with the last hit for the Giants in the top of the third inning, when he doubled off of Jeffrey Rodriguez, as he batted for Conor Menez, who started the game for the Giants.

Ryne Harper then came on to replace Finnegan, as he got Mauricio Dubon to ground into a force play that saw Starlin Castro throw to Gomes to get Belt for the second out of the inning. Harper was able to get of the jam, as he got Austin Slater to fly out to Kyle Schwarber to end the inning.

Menez, who went the first two innings for the Giants, allowed just one hit and struck out one before Gabe Kapler went to the bullpen, in this second game of the doubleheader.

Following Menez, Kapler sent Jarlin Garcia, Dominic Leone, Zack Littell, Tyler Roger, Jake McGee each went one inning and finally Kapler called on Caleb Baragar to close it out, and it was an interesting bottom of the eighth inning.

With Gomes on second base to start the inning, Castro got the Nationals on the board, as he doubled off the centerfield wall. Following the Castro double, Baragar then hit Victor Robles on the shoulder to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

Josh Bell came off the bench to pinch hit for Harper, as he hit a fly ball to Slater that saw Castro advance to third base and Robles tagged up and went to second base; however, he went to second base, but dove past the base and began to run towards third base, where he was immediately tagged out for the second out of the inning.

Baragar then got Turner to pop out to Solano at second base to give the Giants the victory and a split of the doubleheader.

It was the first save of the season for Baragar, who gave up a run and one hit, as he saw his earned run average fall to 0.49 on the season.

McGee struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning to pick up his second win of the season

UP NEXT: Johnny Cueto will close out the series and the road trip, as he will take the mound for the first time since Sunday, when he went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, walking two and striking out four and saw his record fall to 4-2 on the season. Berkeley born and Bishop O Dowd (Oakland) graduate Joe Ross will take the hill for the Nationals, as he looks for his third win of the season.

The Washington Nationals Kevin Schwarber rounds the bases after hitting a first inning home run that would stand up against San Francisco Giants pitcher Kevin Gausman at Nationals Park in DC on Sat Jun 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Kyle Schwarber came up with the only offense that the Washington Nationals would need right off the bat against Kevin Gausman.

Schwarber hit a leadoff home run off of Gausman in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Nationals to a 2-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants in the first game of a split doubleheader at Nationals Park.

Gausman lost for the first time this season, as he went four innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out four in his shortest outing as a member of the Giants.

Erick Fedde picked up his fourth win of the season, as he went five innings in his first start since being taken off the injured list due to Covid-19. Fedde did not walk a batter, scattering four hits, not walking a batter and striking out seven in his return to the rotation.

Nationals setup man Kyle Finnegan came on to replace Fedde in the top of the sixth inning, as he gave up a hit and struck out one before giving way to closer Brad Hand, who struck out two, including Austin Slater on a called third strike to end the game.

Josh Harrison put the finishing touches on the scoring for the Nationals in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he doubled to right field to score Juan Soto, who walked to lead off the inning against Gausman.

The Giants could only muster four hits with two coming in the top of the second inning, as Wilmer Flores singled and then Mike Tauchman singled Flores to third base; however, Jason Vosler grounded into an inning ending double play to end the threat and the inning.

Gausman tried to help out his own cause, as he singled to lead off the top of the third inning, but LaMonte Wade, Jr., hit a sacrifice bunt to get Gausman to second base; however, Mike Yastrzemski and Buster Posey each grounded out to the inning.

NOTES: Yastrzemski was activated prior to the game, as he was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and will be the 27th player for both games of the doubleheader.

The Giants have hit 62 home runs through their first 35 road games, and it is the second most home runs hit in their first 35 games on the road, trailing the 2000 Giants that hit 63 home runs.

Anthony DeSclafani is the first Giants pitcher to have multiple shutouts in a season since Johnny Cueto finished his first season with the team in 2016 with two, and the last Giants pitcher to have more than two shutouts was Jason Schmidt, who finished the 2006 season with three shutouts.

UP NEXT: Conor Menez will take the mound in the second game for the Giants, while the Nationals will send Jeffrey Rodriguez, to the mound after he was recalled from Triple-A Rochester.

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington DC Fri Jun 11, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

It was the battery of the San Francisco Giants that supplied the winning punch in the opener of their four-game series against the Washington Nationals.

Anthony DeSclafani threw his second shutout of the season, and Buster Posey supplied the big hit of the game, when he hit a solo home run off of Paolo Espino in the top of the fourth inning and the Giants defeated the Nationals 1-0 at Nationals Park.

DeSclafani was on fire from the get go, as he retired the first nine batters he faced and then Trea Turner pit an end to that streak with a single to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. He did not allow another hit until Josh Bell doubled off of DeSclafani with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

It was the third career shutout for DeSclafani and third complete game of his career, as he allowed just those two hits, walked just one and struck out eight on his way to his sixth win of the season against two losses.

This was the Giants major-league leading ninth shutout of the season, while the Nationals were shutout for the eighth time this season.

Posey hit a slider off of Espino that landed in the Giants bullpen for his 11th home run of the season.

The 11 home runs by Posey are more than he hit in both 2018 and 2019, and his career-high is 24 home runs in 2012, the year that he won the Most Valuable Player and helped lead the Giants to their second World Series Championship in three years.

Espino came on to replace Nationals starter Max Scherzer in the top of the 1st inning, as the three-time Cy Young Award winner was forced to leave the game after just 12 pitches after he felt a tweak in his groin.

An MRI was taken of Scherzers groin and it turned out to be an inflammation and he considers himself as day-to-day.

Mike Tauchman came up with another huge catch to rob Juan Soto of a potential game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

It was the second time in three weeks that Tauchman made a game-saving catch, as he robbed Albert Pujols of potential game-winning home run on May 28 at Dodger Stadium.

That was insane huge catch, DeSclafani said. If you dont make that its a tie ballgame and I probably dont go nine.

Espino, who was forced into the game in the top of the first inning went 3.1 innings, allowing the only run of the game on three hits. Following Espino, four more relievers for the Nationals allowed just one hit and retired the final 16 Giants in a row.

NOTES: Prior to the game, the Giants traded Matt Wisler to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for left-handed reliever Michael Plassmeyer, who will report to Double-A Richmond.

According to Giants manager Gabe Kapler, Curt Casali, who is out with a left wrist strain and Mike Yastrzemski, who is out with a sprained right thumb should be reinstated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday. While, Darin Ruf, who is on the injured list with a right hamstring could be back when the Giants return home to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night at Oracle Park. Caleb Baragar, out with inflammation in his left elbow was reinstated from the 10-day injured list.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman goes for his eighth win of the season in the opener of a split doubleheader for the Giants, while the Nationals will send Erick Fedde to the mound.

Kevin Gausman seen here pitching against the Chicago Cubs on Sat Jun 5, 2021 at Oracle Park in San Francisco will make a start Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals in DC (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael talk about some of the call ups that have come through and surprised Sammy Long, Jason Vosler, and Chawick Tromp.

#2 Long pitched four innings after relieving starter Zack Littell, Long gave up a walk and struck out a batter manger Gabe Kapler liked what Long brought to the table during Wednesday’s game in Arlington.

#3 Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski is getting closer to coming back. Yastrzemski said his fingers and knuckles need to be pain free to swing a bat. Yastrzemski said he can play catch without pain.

#4 Talk about Alex Dickerson going on the IL with an upper back injury. Dickerson felt some back in the upper back after taking a swing against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

#5 Due to the rain out on Thursday Giants starter Kevin Gausman (7-0 ERA 1.27) will start against the Washington Nationals Joe Ross (2-6 ERA 4.80) a 11:05 AM first pitch as the front game of a doubleheader at Nationals Park in Washington on Saturday.

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com each Friday