LDN - Sports

Nationals escape San Francisco with win

[July 30, 2016] SAN FRANCISCO -- Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker executed what Ryan Zimmermann labeled a "triple-double switch" Friday night.

Given the result, it would be wise to expect it again sometime soon.

Baker made three defensive changes, including one on the mound, with the game on the line in the eighth inning, and two pitches later the Nationals turned the first triple play in franchise history, saving a 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

"Crazy," Zimmerman insisted after the Nationals had recorded their second win in two days over the Giants in a matchup of division leaders.

Washington (61-42) moved six games up on the Miami Marlins and 7 1/2 ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East with their third win in four games to begin a three-city trip.

San Francisco (59-44), which owns the worst record in baseball (2-11) since the All-Star break, saw its lead in the NL West dwindle to a single game over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"It kind of is, really, when you get in these funks, what can go wrong, goes wrong," Giants manager Bruce Bochy lamented. "When you're in a good winning streak, the ball bounces your way. Everything's your way. And right now it's not going our way."

It all came down to a single play.

After having been held to five hits in seven innings by Max Scherzer and trailing 4-1, the Giants threatened against the Washington bullpen immediately after four-time All-Star was pulled.

Denard Span led off the eighth with a bunt single against Nationals left-hander Oliver Perez.

Angel Pagan followed with a single, which brought Buster Posey off the Giants' bench as a pinch hitter, representing the potential tying run.

The Nationals countered with right-hander Blake Treinen, who walked Posey to load the bases with still no one out.

Baker then called for lefty Sammy Solis, but also grabbed Zimmermann and shortstop Danny Espinosa off the bench.

"I thought I better get my best defense in there," Baker said.

Brandon Crawford hit Solis' second pitch on a line at Zimmermann, who reached down and caught it on the fly.

He easily doubled off Posey, who had strayed off first base, before throwing to third to complete a triple plan on Span, who had raced to home plate on contact.

The 3-3-5 triple play was the first in Major League Baseball history.

"Once I caught it, I saw I had a double play," said Zimmermann, who was standing between Posey and the base. "Then I saw Tony (third baseman Anthony Rendon) over there jumping up and down. I just threw it to him."

Alas, it wasn't over.

Left-hander Felipe Rivero gave up a two-out single to Gregor Blanco in the bottom of the ninth, and Trevor Brown greeted righty Shawn Kelley with a hit, setting the stage for Eduardo Nunez in his Giants debut.

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Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (35) fails to tag Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon (6) as he steals second base in the sixth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

But Nunez, acquired in a trade from Minnesota on Thursday, struck out on a full count to end the game.

Kelley was credited with his sixth save.

"That's the quickest I've seen a bases-loaded, nobody-out rally end," Bochy claimed. "It's a tough break for us. The guys need a break. It's smoked and it'd have changed the game."

Jayson Werth had two hits, drove in a run and scored another for the Nationals, who roughed up Giants starter Jeff Samardzija for four extra-base hits in six innings.

Scherzer (11-6) gave up a second-inning run on a pair of hits, but then shut out the Giants on just three more hits over the next five innings before leaving after having thrown 115 pitches.

The veteran right-hander allowed two or fewer runs for the sixth consecutive game, during which he's gone 3-1. He walked two and struck out six.

"Once we got the lead, he can smell the finish line," Baker said of Scherzer. "That's why he has those no-hitters."

Murphy had a triple, and Werth, Wilson Ramos and Wilmer Difo collected doubles for the Nationals, who totaled eight hits.

NOTES: The Giants hit into their first triple play since Sept. 6, 2009 against Milwaukee. ... Giants RHP Jeff Samardzija's second strikeout was the 1,000th of his career. ... Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced that RHP Reynaldo Lopez will be promoted from Triple-A Syracuse to start Saturday's game. ... Baker also disclosed that C Pedro Severino, promoted from Triple-A on Friday, will catch Saturday's game. ... Severino took the roster spot created Friday when the Nationals put C Jose Lobaton (tendinitis in left elbow) on the 15-day disabled list. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy said RF Hunter Pence (straight right hamstring) would be reinstated from the DL on Saturday and immediately re-inserted into the starting lineup. ... In order to create room on the 25-man roster for INF Eduardo Nunez, the Giants sent OF Jarrett Parker to Triple-A.

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