In his home debut, Melancon retired the Giants in order, including a strikeout of Eduardo Nunez, to end the game and clinch the Washington Nationals fourth straight win. It’d better be sooner than later.
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Blue Jays 4, Royals 3 • Devon Travis hit his second homer of the game, in the ninth, to lift visiting Toronto.
The Giants could not keep up against Gonzalez, aside from Angel Pagan’s home run in the fourth inning, and newly acquired closer Mark Melancon shut the door in the ninth.
Samardzija (9-8) put in the work but got hit hard while allowing five runs in seven innings, and the Giants (62-47) lost for the 14th time in 19 games since the All-Star break. “He knows how to play”, Baker said.
Marlins 5, Rockies 3: Martin Prado hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a four-run rally in the ninth inning that sent Miami to the win.
The Reds tied the score 2-2 in the top of the ninth on pinch-hitter Ramon Cabrera’s sacrifice fly off Tony Watson (2-3).
In the bottom of the first, Jayson Werth extended his on-base streak to 36 games with a base hit to center. When Ramos hit his 17th home run in the sixth, establishing a career high in the process, Gonzalez was set.
Twins 6, Rays 2 • Eddie Rosario had a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh and Miguel Sano homered and had three hits for visiting Minnesota. New Washington closer Mark Melancon pitched a flawless ninth in a non-save situation to nail down a crisp, quickly played win as he retired Buster Posey for the last out. It was his first homer at Nationals Park.
Washington starter Gonzalez entered the game 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 10 career starts against the Giants. Coming off a 3-1 loss in San Francisco on Sunday, Gonzalez (7-9) struck out seven, walked one and had five three-up, three-down innings. He went six innings and gave up four runs in a 4-1 loss on July 29 at home to Washington.
“I don’t think there’s a specific difference”, Gonzalez said.
Verlander (12-6) allowed only two runs and struck out nine, but the Mets ran his pitch count up to 103 to force him out of the game.
Nationals: INF Ryan Zimmerman missed a fourth straight game after being hit in the left wrist with a pitch Sunday in San Francisco.
Everyone around the Washington Nationals seems to have a suggestion for Gio Gonzalez.
Washington infielder Danny Espinosa, who was on fire in June, is hitting.115 in his last 15 games and.196 in his last 30. Giants CF Denard Span, who played for the Nationals from 2013 to 2015, hit the winning homer in the 10th. Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (15-1, 2.69 ERA) will face Giants RHP Matt Cain (3-6, 5.53) on Saturday in the second game of the series. Former Giants and Nationals OF Nate Schierholtz, a minor league free agent, was suspended 80 games Friday for taking a growth hormone.
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“I don’t like being in the middle of the pack on offense, I will tell you that”, Baker told reporters during a road series this week in Arizona. “I feel bad”, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. He is 6 for 13 during the last 3 games.
