Nationals at Giants
The San Francisco Giants hope to build off their first series victory of the season when they host the Washington Nationals on Monday for the opener of a three-game set. The Giants, who came into Friday 0-3-3 in their first six series, took two of three from the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend after Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria continued their hot streaks with homers in Sunday's 4-2 victory.
Belt, who endured a major league-record 21-pitch at-bat in the first inning on Sunday, went 3-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to five games while Longoria launched a two-run blast and is 14-for-38 since starting the season just 4-for-36. Chris Stratton looks to produce his third straight strong start when he takes the mound for San Francisco in the opener against Gio Gonzalez, who has won both of his turns on the road this year. The Nationals have lost three of four after starting their nine-game road trip with back-to-back wins and coughed up a three-run lead Sunday en route to a 4-3 setback against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Michael Taylor homered in the loss and went 5-for-10 in the series for Washington, but former MVP Bryce Harper is just 2-for-15 (two singles) in his last five games.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN2 (Washington), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 2.49 ERA) vs. Giants RH Chris Stratton (1-1, 2.22)
Gonzalez gave up two runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings against the New York Mets last time out to record his second victory of the season. The 32-year-old Floridian has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his four starts, registering 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 frames. Buster Posey is 8-for-27 with a homer versus Gonzalez, who is 5-4 with a 3.06 ERA in 12 career outings against San Francisco.
Stratton has been outstanding in his last two starts, yielding just one run on six hits and three walks but posting just one victory. The 27-year-old native of Mississippi gave up one run with a season-high eight strikeouts in seven frames last time out against Arizona but settled for a no-decision in the Giants' 4-3 win. Stratton surrendered five hits and recorded 10 strikeouts over 6 2/3 scoreless innings to defeat the Nationals last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington placed 3B Anthony Rendon (toe) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled RHP Austin Adams from Triple-A Syracuse.
2. The Giants are last in the majors in batting average with runners in scoring position (.169) after going 2-for-13 on Sunday.
3. The Nationals have won nine of the 13 meetings over the last two seasons, including all three at San Francisco in 2017.