Giants 3, Nationals 1
SAN FRANCISCO -- Ryan Vogelsong rebounded from a leadoff home run by Yunel Escobar to limit the Washington Nationals to one run in five innings, and four relievers pitched shutout ball the rest of the way to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 victory Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
In the clubs' first meeting at AT&T Park since the 2014 National League Division Series, which San Francisco won 3-1, the Giants ended a five-game, regular-season losing streak to the Nationals.
The Giants (61-53) won for just the second time in their past seven games and increased their lead over the Nationals (58-56) to three games. Both teams are chasing the Pittsburgh Pirates (66-46) and Chicago Cubs (65-48) for wild-card playoff spots.
Vogelsong (8-8) and right-handers Hunter Strickland, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla combined to hold the Nationals to five hits, one of them coming on the first pitch of the game when Escobar belted his eighth home run.
Casilla recorded his 28th save with a scoreless ninth inning, striking out pinch-hitter Danny Espinosa as the potential tying run after allowing a two-out double to center fielder Michael Taylor.
Third baseman Matt Duffy and catcher Buster Posey had RBI hits in a two-run first inning, and first baseman Brandon Belt, promoted to third in the batting order, plated center fielder Gregor Blanco with an insurance run in the seventh inning to account for the Giants' scoring.
Blanco and second baseman Kelby Tomlinson had triples for the Giants, and Posey had two of the team's eight hits. San Francisco handed the Nationals their 10th loss in their last 14 games.
Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg (6-6) took the loss. He allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out eight.
Right fielder Bryce Harper had two hits, a walk and a stolen base for the Nationals, who are now just 1-3 to start a 10-game trip.
The Nationals didn't score again against Vogelsong after Escobar's leadoff homer. In fact, the veteran allowed only two more hits before getting pulled after five innings, having thrown 94 pitches.
Vogelsong walked four and struck out eight.
After Escobar homered in the top of the first inning, it took the Giants just seven pitches to tie the score and 14 to take the lead.
Blanco led off the Giants' first with a triple and scored on Duffy's RBI single to right field. After Belt drew a walk, Posey grounded an RBI single to left field, scoring Duffy.
The Giants also threatened in the second and third but failed to score on both occasions.
NOTES: The Giants placed LF Nori Aoki on the seven-day concussion disabled list before the game. Aoki was hit in the head with a pitch by RHP Jake Arrieta on Sunday and experienced dizziness when he returned to game action Wednesday. OF Ryan Lollis was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to take Aoki's spot on the Giants' roster. ... Giants RHP Mike Leake (strained left hamstring) threw a two-inning simulated game on Thursday and experienced no setbacks. He is tentatively scheduled to be activated from the DL on Tuesday and start at St. Louis. ... Nationals OF Reed Johnson (torn tendon in left foot) began an injury-rehab stint at Class A Potomac on Thursday. Johnson hit .222 in 12 games for Washington this season before undergoing surgery. ... Former basketball great Bill Walton participated in on-field Grateful Dead Tribute Night festivities before the game, including the singing of the national anthem.