For 6 2/3 innings, Chris Stratton frustrated the Nationals offense yielding no-runs and exited the game with a 3-0 lead. This was Stratton’s third career start for the Giants and he struck-out 10 Nats batters. Hunter Strickland entered the game to a serenade of boos, and he surrendered a 2-run home run to Anthony Rendon. The game ended at that 4-2 score. The Nationals had their opportunities today.
AJ Cole took the loss going 6.0 innings and giving up 3-runs. Cole struggled all day with the 8-hitter Gorkys Hernandez who set up the second inning when the 3-runs scored. Cole was able to go deep enough in the game to keep the bullpen fresh as Dusty Baker pitched Sammy Solis for an inning and Matt Grace for two innings.
The Nationals did get 7 hits and Andrew Stevenson, Brian Goodwin, and Anthony Rendon each had 2 hits in the game. Daniel Murphy came in as a pinch-hitter with 2 runners-on-base and he flew out.
Brian Goodwin was pulled in the 9th inning with some groin pain. The Nationals are off tomorrow and he will be evaluated then.
“It will be like getting a whole new fresh team,” Dusty Baker said about all the injured players who will return for the Nationals.
The day started off with some encouraging news about Bryce Harper‘s leg injury. Here is the media session with Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo:
The second game of today’s doubleheader begins at 7:05pm. The pitchers scheduled are Max Scherzer against lefty Matt Moore of the San Francisco Giants.
