Illness knocks Sandoval out of Giants' lineup

SAN FRANCISCO -- Third baseman Pablo Sandoval was a late scratch from the Giants' lineup Wednesday night due to sickness. Manager Bruce Bochy said before the game that Sandoval has been taking antibiotics.

Joaquin Arias got the start at third base vs. the Nationals in his place, with Michael Morse moving up from fifth to Sandoval's cleanup spot in the batting order.

Sandoval made a pinch-hit appearance in the seventh inning, though, singling home Brandon Hicks to cut Washington's lead to two in an eventual 6-2 San Francisco loss. Bochy said after the game he hopes Sandoval will be in the lineup Thursday.

"He turned for the worst," Bochy said after the game of Sandoval's late scratch. "He'd been on antibiotics; they're not helping at all and it just got to the point where he couldn't go. If I was going to play him, I was going to pinch-hit him today and that was it. He gave us a good pinch-hit appearance there. My hope is tomorrow he'll feel better and be OK to go."

Sandoval is hitting .256 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs.