Washington Nationals fall below .500 after sixth straight loss

Yes, that was Bumgarner striking out the Washington star on three consecutive fastballs in the ninth inning of the Giants’ 5-0 win Sunday.

Madison Bumgarner homered and doubled, struck out 14, and pitched a three-hitter as the Giants beat Washington, 5-0, Sunday in San Francisco for the Nationals’ sixth straight loss. “That’s an impressive outing with how hot it was”. He threw a 30-pitch bullpen session Aug. 12 and a two-inning simulated game Aug. 13. That’s just about the only good that can be taken from the recent stretch of losses incurred by the Nationals.

In a losing effort, Miguel Cabrera homered for the first time since returning from the disabled list on Friday. San Francisco swept a four-game road series and a three-game home set against Washington in 2008. Maxwell fouled out to first baseman Zimmerman. They would certainly like to be doing better than they are right now.

It was the fourth shutout of the 2014 World Series Most Valuable Player’s career.

What Bumgarner did with his bat Sunday, including hitting his 10th career home run, may have generated the most buzz from an announced crowd of 41,904 on a toasty day.

“You can always do better”, Bumgarner said. After tossing eight scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start, the lefty was knocked out in the third for his shortest appearance of the year. “That was an old school type game”. “The starter goes nine…” He leads the Giants with 19 home runs and ranks second to C Buster Posey (78) in RBIs with 72.

Then Bumgarner came along, and with the kind of corny, cinematic timing only he can breathe into existence, joined Marichal-on Marichal’s honorary day-with a likewise exhibition of offensive and defensive dominance.

His hit-and-run RBI double in the fifth inning scored second baseman Kelby Tomlinson, who had singled, to increase the Giants’ lead to 4-0.

Even Bryce Harper, the leading NL MVP candidate and the only left-handed batter to homer off Bumgarner this season, struck out three times.

The sooner the better for Williams, who was roundly criticized for his strategic moves as the top-seeded Nationals were bounced out in the first round of the playoffs last season, and has drawn more heat for his handling of the bullpen this year. Bumgarner doubled to right, Tomlinson scored.

“That was just very uncharacteristic from what I know of David”, Reds manager Bryan Price said. “It sure worked out for us”.

Matt Duffy had three of the four components of the cycle by the fourth inning, lacking just the triple, Hunter Pence hit a solo home run and the Giants tied a franchise record with a four-double second inning. In the fourth inning, however, Ross hit a wall and the Giants took advantage of it. Blanco drew a walk up next, but Duffy lined out hard to Harper to end the inning. A walk from Blanco forced Joe Ross out of the ball game.

Pedro Villarreal allowed one run to score on a hit and fielder’s choice, but got out of the inning without any further damage.

Madison Bumgarner won the Silver Slugger Award for pitchers last season on the strength of his home-run hitting. He walked three and struck out two. “You’re going to get hit – everyone gets hit in this game from time to time”.

“Obviously I don’t do that very often”, he said of going the opposite way. After taking Monday off, the Nationals complete a 10-game trip with a three-game series at Colorado beginning Tuesday….