Jordan Zimmermann accomplished something something his teammates couldn't do the last two games: drive in a runner from third with less than two outs. He also held the San Francisco Giants to one run on five hits to lead the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win before another capacity crowd of 41,786 at AT&T Park.
The win evens the Nats record so far on this 11-game road trip to 3-3, and puts their overall season record at 27-34.
Witht he game tied at one in the top of the fourth inning, Rick Ankiel led off against lefty Jonathan Sanchez (L, 4-4) with a ground ball double to right field and took third on Jerry Hairston's fly out to right. Sanchez pitched around Laynce Nix to face the pitcher in a double-play opportunity.
But manager-for-the-day John MacLaren, filling in for suspended Jim Riggleman, called for a squeeze, and Zimmermann executed perfectly. He pushed the bunt toward the first base hole, and a charging Aubrey Huff could not field it cleanly. Ankiel scored on the play and all hands were safe.
The Nats got their first run an inning earlier, again set up by a Zimmermann sacrifice.
Nix walked to lead off, and Zimmermann pushed him over to second. After Roger Bernadina was hit by a pitch, Ian Desmond sent a soft liner to shallow center. Center fielder Andres Torres charged the ball and it kicked off his glove, allowing Nix to score from second and both runners to move up a base. Danny Espinosa and Wilson Ramos both struck out with Bernadina 90 feet from scoring.
The rest was up to Zimmermann (4-6, 3.39) and his surgically repaired right arm, and he proved up to the task.
The 25-year old righty punished the Giants all night with his 84-MPH fastball and assortment of breaking balls. Zimmerman gave up a second inning run on a Huff triple and Nate Schierhotlz double to the left center gap, but escaped that inning with just the one run, and cruised the rest of his seven innings, allowing a total of five hits and walking just one while striking out three.
Tyler Clippard walked one and struck out one to earn his 14th hold of the season, and Drew Storen was perfect in the ninth inning for his 12th save of the campaign.
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THE GOOD: Zimmermann. He's really throwing well and every time out he looks more and more like he will fulfill the Nats hopes of being able to man the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Strasburg next season.
THE BAD: Danny Espinosa, hitting in the three-hole, went 1-for-5, but stranded five runners.
THE UGLY: The Nats can't complain about not getting enough base runners last night, with a combined 13 hits and walks, but they stranded 11 and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
THE UGLY: The Nats can't complain about not getting enough base runners last night, with a combined 13 hits and walks, but they stranded 11 and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
THE STATS: Seven hits, six walks, nine strikeouts. 1-for-12 with RISP, 11 LOB, three GIDP. No errors.
NEXT GAME: Today at 3:45 pm against the Giants. Yunesky Maya (0-1, 8.00) faces Matt Cain (4-4, 3.64)
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