San Francisco

Slumping Giants Fall to Nationals For Third Straight Loss

On a day when they said farewell to veteran Joe Panik, the San Francisco Giants continued to struggle at the plate Tuesday night and lost to the Washington Nationals 5-3. 

Kurt Suzuki hit a two-run homer and RBI single during a three-hit night and Trea Turner added a solo drive to help back Anibal Sanchez in the Nationals win.

Sanchez (7-6) allowed one earned run on four hits in six innings, struck out three and walked one to win his seventh straight decision since a loss at the Dodgers on May 10.

The right-hander is 4-0 with a 0.73 ERA and 28 strikeouts to 10 walks in five career starts against San Francisco.

Suzuki followed up his first-inning single with his 12th homer in the third. Turner connected leading off the fifth to reach double digit homers for a fourth straight year.

Anthony Rendon had a sacrifice fly in the third. Former Giants reliever Hunter Strickland, whose hot temper defined his Bay Area tenure more than his pitching, worked the bottom of the seventh for Washington.

Suzuki and Nationals closer Sean Doolittle, who finished for his 25th save in 29 chances, are former fan favorites with the Oakland Athletics. Doolittle pitched around Kevin Pillar's one-out double in the ninth.

Pillar singled up the middle leading off the third for the first hit against Sanchez and Pillar advanced on an errant pickoff attempt by the pitcher. Brandon Crawford's groundout scored Pillar.

Pablo Sandoval entered as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, doubled, stayed in the game and added an RBI double in the seventh, one day after the Giants were held scoreless in a 4-0 defeat Monday - their first time being shut out since June 24 against Colorado.

Conner Menez (0-1) allowed five runs on six hits in six innings, struck out four and walked three. The left-hander was called up from Triple-A Sacramento to make his second career appearance after he started and struck out six over five innings against the Mets on July 21.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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