With the potential tying run at third base, Nationals leadoff hitter James Wood — who has the fourth-best OPS in the league — struck out swinging and Seranthony Domínguez earned his sixth save.
James Wood homered on a fastball over the middle of the strike zone in the first inning, his National League-leading 10th home run of the season, and CJ Abrams went deep on a changeup below the strike zone in the fourth.
In the final four innings, the Giants intentionally walked Abrams and Wood three times, daring any of the other Washington hitters to beat them. And, for the most part, they couldn’t.
Every batter in the San Francisco starting lineup had at least one hit, and the Giants banged out 15 hits in winning their second straight after a four-game skid.
Nationals broadcasters and officials say the partnership with MLB Local Media has helped lift Nationals.TV to levels that were out of reach under MASN.
Nationals starter Foster Griffin worked into pitcher’s counts early and often. So, trailing in the fifth inning, the Pirates started to counter Griffin’s aggression with some of their own.
Parker was one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball last season statistically. Coming out of the bullpen Tuesday, he flipped the script immediately.
Cavalli struggled to locate anything other than his changeup. He wasn’t the sole reason the Nationals fell on Monday night. But his performance set the tone for what followed.