Giants 12, Nationals 6
SAN FRANCISCO -- Third baseman Matt Duffy belted a three-run double in a six-run third inning that featured the ejection of Washington Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty, sending the San Francisco Giants to a 12-6 victory on Saturday night.
The win was the third in a row for the Giants over the Nationals, evening the season series 3-3 after Washington had swept a three-game home series in July.
The teams will meet for a seventh and final time in the regular season on Sunday.
A fifth consecutive loss dropped the Nationals (58-58) to .500 for the first time since they were 15-15 on May 8.
Duffy finished with two doubles and four RBIs, and second baseman Kelby Tomlinson had a double, triple and two RBIs for the Giants (63-53), who sent Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez to the showers before the end of the third inning.
Catcher Buster Posey and left fielder Brandon Belt both also drove in two runs with two hits, and center fielder Gregor Blanco scored after each of three singles as the Giants pounded out 13 hits and produced their first double-digit run total since July 10.
Staked to as much as a 9-2 lead, right-hander Jake Peavy (3-5) got the win despite allowing five runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings and one of the longest home runs in AT&T Park history.
Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond opened the scoring in the second inning with a blast to left field that was measured at 477 feet.
According to the ESPN Home Run Tracker, the shot that cleared the left field bleachers was the longest home run at AT&T Park since at least 2006, and the fourth longest at any park this season.
The homer was Desmond's 15th of the season.
Peavy was pulled during a three-run sixth that got the Nationals within 9-5. He walked three and struck out two.
The win was the Giants' 12th in their last 14 home games.
Danny Espinosa also homered for Washington as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning to close the scoring. His 12th home run of the season was the first in his career as a pinch hitter.
Desmond and center fielder Michael Taylor had two hits apiece, and catcher Jose Lobaton delivered a two-run double for the Nationals, who fell to 1-5 on their 10-game trip despite a 10-hit attack.
Nationals star right fielder Bryce Harper had to leave the game after fouling a pitch off his left leg in the seventh inning. He had earlier singled and walked.
Gonzalez (9-5) lasted only 2 2/3 innings, his shortest start since Sept. 14, 2010. He was roughed up for six runs, five hits and two walks. He struck out one.
Yhe Nationals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first two innings as third baseman Yunel Escobar hit a long double to right field in the first and Desmond homered to left in the second.
Coming off an eight-inning scoreless effort against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gonzalez retired the first six Giants in order before Tomlinson led off the third with his triple.
Gonzalez then walked catcher Hector Sanchez and Peavy on full-count pitches, loading the bases and prompting a visit from McCatty.
The pitching coach's ejection occurred after home plate umpire Cory Blaser approached the mound to end the visit.
After the delay, Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco singled to center to produce the first run of the inning. Duffy followed two pitches later with his bases-clearing shot down the left-field line, putting the Giants up 4-2.
Belt and shortstop Brandon Crawford added RBI singles later in the inning, capping the six-run uprising.
Tomlinson's double produced two of the runs in a three-run fifth against Nationals reliever Tanner Roark that increased San Francisco's advantage to 9-1. The two-out hit scored Posey, who had doubled in a run earlier in the inning, and Crawford, who had been intentionally walked with Tomlinson on deck.
NOTES: When Nationals RF Bryce Harper hit his 30th home run Friday night, he became the first left-handed hitter age 22 or younger to reach the mark since Baltimore 1B Boog Powell in 1964. ... After being benched Friday night, Nationals OF Jayson Werth returned to the lineup Saturday batting seventh for the first time since 2010. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy remained noncommittal about who will lose his job when RHP Mike Leake (strained left hamstring) is reinstated from the disabled list Tuesday. RHP Matt Cain, who pitched poorly for the fourth consecutive time Friday, is a candidate. So, too, are RHP Ryan Vogelsong, who would move to the bullpen, and LHP Josh Osich, who has minor-league options remaining. ... Leake is scheduled to start Tuesday night at St. Louis.