CJ Abrams stroked a two-run, game-tying single and Daylen Lile followed two batters later with a two-out, two-strike RBI single as the Washington Nationals rallied in the ninth inning to overtake the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Monday.
After the Giants had scored twice in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie, San Francisco starter Logan Webb was pulled in favor of Keaton Winn (2-2). The reliever served up a one-out double to Luis Garcia Jr. and then hit Curtis Mead with a pitch, setting up the big hits by Abrams and Lile.
Gus Varland earned his fifth save with a shaky bottom of the ninth, striking out Bryce Eldridge with runners at the corners to end Washington’s third win in four games to begin a Western swing.
Clayton Beeter (2-1), who allowed two runs in the eighth, wound up with the win.
Webb gave up just one run in eight innings and stood to be the winner when the Giants took the lead in the eighth. Eldridge put San Francisco in front with an RBI single, and Jonah Cox provided an insurance run with a squeeze bunt.
Webb allowed just five hits and no walks while striking out seven.
Starting for just the third time since missing 3 1/2 weeks because of bursitis in his right knee, the Giants’ ace took a two-hit shutout two outs into the sixth. A single and stolen base by James Wood set up an RBI single from Garcia for a 1-0 Nationals lead.
The advantage didn’t last long. Miles Mikolas, who came on after Washington opener Richard Lovelady threw a scoreless first inning, got two outs in the last of the sixth before getting pulled after having thrown 54 pitches.
The Giants then jumped on reliever Mitchell Parker for consecutive singles by Jung Hoo Lee, Eldridge and Matt Chapman, the latter producing the game-tying run.
Mikolas did not get a decision after shutting out the Giants on three hits over his 4 2/3 innings, during which he struck out two and walked none.
Abrams and Garcia had two hits apiece for the Nationals, who were out-hit 13-8.
Lee finished 4-for-5, while Eldridge, Chapman, Casey Schmitt and Luis Arraez had two hits each for the Giants, who had won four of their previous five games.
–Field Level Media
