WASHINGTON -- Gio Gonzalez showed the Giants who was boss -- at least on Friday night, anyway -- as the Nationals defeated the National League West leaders, 5-1, at Nationals Park. Washington has won four straight games, while San Francisco fell to 5-14 since the All-Star break.
Gonzalez, who lost to the Giants on the road last week, pitched his best game of the season, lasting seven innings and allowing one run on two hits. He retired nine of the first 10 hitters he faced and then allowed a solo homer to Angel Pagan. By then, the Nats already had a 3-1 lead.
The Nationals scored their first two runs off Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija in the first inning. Jayson Werth -- who reached base for the 36th consecutive game, tying the longest on-base streak in the Majors this year -- scored the first run on a single by Daniel Murphy. Wilson Ramos then followed and hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder Hunter Pence, scoring Bryce Harper.
Harper then made it 3-0 in the third inning with his own sacrifice fly, scoring Trea Turner. Two innings later, Turner did his part by hitting his second homer of the season, a solo shot over the left-field wall. Ramos added a solo shot over the center-field wall in the sixth inning.
Samardzija ended up pitching seven innings and allowing the five runs on six hits.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The igniter: Turner continues to show his ability as the Nats' everyday leadoff hitter. The rookie is 17-for-47 (.361) with two home runs, nine RBIs and 10 runs scored in his last 11 games.
Delaying the inevitable: Samardzija had allowed five home runs in his previous four starts, so the Nats' ability to go deep on him late in the game wasn't all that surprising. Turner's fifth-inning homer and Ramos' sixth-inning drive hiked Samardzija's home run total to 21 allowed, eight short of last year when he shared the American League lead.
Bill Ladson has covered the Nationals/Expos for MLB.com since 2002 and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the Time. He also can be found on Twitter @WashingNats.
Chris Haft has covered the Giants since 2005, and for MLB.com since 2007. Follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat and listen to his podcast.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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