GAME:
Washington Nationals (23-23) at San Francisco Giants (26-20)
DATE/TIME:
Wednesday, May 22 - 3:45 PM EST
WHERE:
AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
LINE:
142, -154
TOTAL:
6.5
The Washington Nationals look to avoid their season-high fifth straight loss Wednesday when they conclude a three-game series against the host San Francisco Giants, who are coming off a dramatic 4-2 victory in 10 innings Tuesday. The loss dropped the Nationals to .500 at 23-23 and left manager Davey Johnson wondering what’s happened to the team’s offense. The highly touted Washington lineup has scored two or fewer runs seven times in its last 11 games.
Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval was battling flu symptoms Tuesday, but he was able to launch a two-run homer in the 10th inning to give San Francisco its 13th comeback win of the season. Washington was shut out after scoring twice in the first, and Johnson is trying everything to get his offense untracked. Right fielder Bryce Harper moved to the second spot in the batting order for the first time Tuesday and had two sacrifice bunts.
TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 4.01 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (4-2, 3.09)
Gonzalez turned in his third straight quality start Friday against the Padres, allowing three runs (two earned) over 6 2/3 innings. Gonzalez enters the series finale on a roll after giving up four earned runs over his last 19 2/3 innings, but has allowed a home run in four of his last five starts. Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro has two hits in 17 at-bats against the 27-year-old Gonzalez, who is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his last three starts at AT&T Park.
Bumgarner looks to bounce back from a dismal outing against the Rockies on Friday, when he allowed a season-worst nine runs (seven earned) over 4 2/3 innings. After beginning the season with six strong starts, he’s allowed 13 earned runs over his last three outings. Adam LaRoche is 2-for-13 with six strikeouts against Bumgarner, who went 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in two starts last season against the Nationals.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Giants are 15-1 when holding their opponent to two runs or fewer.
2. The Nationals have hit at least one home run in 70 consecutive series, but have gone homerless in this series.
3. Scutaro went 2-for-4 on Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to 19 games, the longest in the majors this season.
PREDICTION: Giants 5, Nationals 2