SAN FRANCISCO — On a day that began with a life-sized lego statue of Madison Bumgarner on the field, the Giants ended it by celebrating their third win of the second half. They beat the Nationals, 5-3, behind timely at-bats with runners in scoring position. That’s really the most simple way to describe it. Eduardo Nunez knocked in a pair of runs in his first start, and Joe Panik drove in the game-winning run with a sac fly in the seventh inning.
The Giants push their NL West lead to 1.5 games with the Dodgers playing later tonight. Here’s more on Saturday afternoon at AT&T Park.
The big moment
When you’ve lost 11 of 13 games, go-ahead sac flies are big moments. Timely and productive at-bats are big moments. This was the most important fly ball in a week for the Giants.
At the plate
Eduardo Nunez was officially initiated as a Giant in the second inning. He came up with the bases loaded and two outs, the Giants’ sixth at-bat with runners in scoring position already, and popped out to the catcher. It was quite possibly the best way Nunez could relate to his new teammates, who have combined to post the major’s worst average with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break.
But it was also Nunez who unshackled the Giants from their RISP troubles. He came up two innings later with the bases loaded and lined a two-RBI double into right-center. It was the Giants’ first hit Saturday in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position. Angel Pagan grounded out to first in the next at-bat to score Mac Williamson and tie the game. For extra emphasis, Williamson slid head-first across home plate while Ryan Zimmerman never thought about throwing home.
Facing ex-Giant Yusmeiro Petit, the Giants loaded the bases in the seventh inning. Panik hit a sac fly to deep right field, and Trevor Brown walked in the Giants’ fifth run two batters later.
On the mound
For Peavy, it was nothing more than facing the Nationals for a second time. He’s been exposed all season in the third and fourth innings, right around the time he tries to face hitters for a second time. The Reds bashed a pair of fourth-inning home runs on Monday, and the Nationals knocked Peavy out of the game after scoring three times in their second plate appearances. The right-hander said after Monday’s loss he doesn’t have an explanation for his timely troubles.
He almost managed to get by unscathed, but a borderline 3-2 pitch to Bryce Harper was called ball four. Peavy dropped to his knees in frustration with the call, then proceeded to hang a cutter to Anthony Rendon two pitches later. He crushed it over the left field wall to make it 2-0, and the Nationals tacked on another run with consecutive hits to start the fourth inning.
The Giants had a shot to throw out Zimmerman trying to score from first, but a poor relay throw from the infield allowed the veteran to get past Buster Posey. Peavy exited after four innings and 74 pitches, largely to satisfy Bruce Bochy’s thirst for offense. Mac Williamson pinch-hit for the right-hander with runners on first and second and and walked, setting up Nunez’s two-RBI double.
In the ‘pen
Bochy tabbed Matt Reynolds to start the fifth inning, and he struck out Bryce Harper after allowing a leadoff single. Hunter Strickland took the reins from there, and fired a perfect 1 2/3 innings to get the Giants to the seventh.
Derek Law took over then, and while he didn’t dance through the inning on seven pitches like he did Friday, Angel Pagan bailed Law out with a tumbling, inning-ending catch in left field. Javier Lopez started the eighth by walking Bryce Harper, the eighth base on the balls Lopez has issued to lefties this year. That’s already more than last season. Posey picked up the pieced by throwing Harper out on a steal attempt, and Sergio Romo finished the inning.
Santiago Casilla nailed down his 23rd save of the season, and his second of the second half.
On deck
The Giants conclude their seven-game homestand with Matt Cain (2-6, 5.95 ERA) on the mound. With 99 career wins, the right-hander is looking to become the sixth Giants pitcher to reach the century mark in victories. He’d be the first since Tim Lincecum to do it. The Nationals start veteran lefty Gio Gonzalez (6-8, 4.44 ERA). First pitch at 1:05 p.m. on KNBR 680.