MadBum shuts out Nats, fans 14 and homers
SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner dominated on the mound and blanked the Nationals, 5-0, at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon.
Bumgarner recorded his second straight complete game and third of the season, allowed three hits and struck out 14 batters. He even helped himself with the bat, hitting a solo homer in the seventh inning and an RBI double in the fifth. The Giants gave him a lead in the fourth inning by scoring three runs, ignited by Hunter Pence's two-run homer.
Bumgarner joins Juan Marichal as only San Francisco Giants pitchers to throw a shutout, strike out at least 10 and homer in a game. He's also the first Giants pitcher to have consecutive complete games with 12-plus strikeouts and the first in the Majors to accomplish the feat since R.A. Dickey did so in June 2012.
"That game was right up there with some of the really good ones he's thrown," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "And he's thrown a lot of them."
• Marichal in attendance to welcome Bumgarner to club
Nationals right-hander Joe Ross pitched in his native Bay Area for the first time and allowed four runs on six hits in four-plus innings. The Giants swept the four-game series, while the Nationals are a game under .500 with a 58-59 record.
"We have to be better in all aspects," manager Matt Williams said. "Joe made a couple of mistakes and they made him pay for it. It will be good to get the guys a day off tomorrow, let them get away from the game a little while, come back fresh on Tuesday and go from there."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Craw's claw: The Nationals Wilson Ramos pulled a grounder into the hole in between shortstop and third base for what appeared to be a potential RBI single. But Brandon Crawford had other plans. The Giants' shortstop glided to his right, back-handed the ball and fired across his body to get Ramos at first and keep a run off the board.
Video: WSH@SF: Crawford makes great throw from shallow left
"He's so gifted," Bochy said. "There's not many shortstops who can make that play."
Ross dominates, then loses it in the fourth: Ross was in the zone, striking out six batters, but then he decided to make adjustments and was hit hard in the fourth inning. Ross left with no outs in the fifth inning. More >
"I made some adjustments through the second time to the lineup. I made a few mistake pitches they capitalized on. Things added up in that one inning," Ross said.
Video: WSH@SF: Ross fans Belt to strike out side in the 1st
Nationals have problems with Bumgarner: The Nationals didn't collect their first hit until the fifth inning when Ian Desmond singled past shortstop Crawford. The Nationals got a total of three hits in the game against Bumgarner.
"We faced a tough pitcher today. He might be the best pitcher in the big leagues right now," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "But we have to find a way to win those games."
Pence goes yard: After Brandon Belt doubled in Gregor Blanco with one out in the fourth inning, Pence crushed Ross' hanging slider into the left field bleachers to give the Giants a three-run cushion.
Video: WSH@SF: Pence goes deep to left to stretch the lead
QUOTABLE
"We really clicked everywhere in this series, and I thought we had to because we were facing four really good starters, a really good club, and these guys just elevated their game when we needed it." -- Bochy on the series sweep
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Nationals were swept in a four-game series for the first time since July 16-19, 2009, against the Cubs.
REPLAY REVIEW
Crawford ripped a ball off the Levi's Landing sign on the right-field wall in the fourth inning for a double. Bochy requested the umpires take a look to see if it hit the top of the wall for a home run, but replay officials confirmed the call on the field after a brief review.
Video: WSH@SF: Crawford's double draws a second look in 4th
WHAT'S NEXT
Nationals: The Nationals have the day off Monday, but return to action Tuesday to begin a three-game series against the Rockies. In his last start, Jordan Zimmermann twirled a two-hit gem with a season-high nine strikeouts against the Dodgers, but he ended up losing his third straight decision.
Giants: San Francisco travels to St. Louis to take on baseball's best team for the first time since the Giants defeated the Cardinals in the 2014 NLCS. Chris Heston takes the mound looking to improve on his 5.40 ERA in August.
Watch every out-of-market regular season game live on MLB.TV.