The San Francisco Giants look to get back on track when they open a three-game series against the Nationals on Friday in Washington.
The Giants lost for the third time in four games to the New York Mets on Thursday and added another player to their injured list.
San Francisco starter Anthony DeSclafani surrendered home runs Thursday to Francisco Lindor and Eduardo Escobar in a 6-2 defeat, just the second and third long balls yielded by the Giants’ rotation this season.
“We weren’t not going to give up a home run all year,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “When you go through a stretch where those things are not happening, you are pleased with the results. But you also always know there are going to be some times that aren’t perfect.”
On offense, San Francisco managed just four hits against in the latest defeat. One bright spot was Mike Yastrzemski, who homered and went 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .231 following a slow start.
“We know that the true talent and the true caliber of play is going to come out over a long period of time, but we have to weather those time periods when they’re not going so well,” Kapler said. “It’s nice to see the results show up for Yaz.”
Giants center fielder Steven Duggar appears headed for the injured list after leaving in the second inning Thursday due to a left oblique injury. Duggar, 28, leads the National League with four stolen bases and was the starter against right-handers.
He joins third baseman Evan Longoria, second baseman Tommy La Stella and outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. as Giants position players on the injured list. Starting pitcher Alex Cobb went on the injured list Tuesday with a right adductor strain.
Washington left-hander Patrick Corbin (0-2, 7.50 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season on Friday. Last time out, he allowed two runs on three hits over 5 1/3 innings of a no-decision against the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming (to Pittsburgh),” Corbin said postgame. “The results haven’t been there for me (this season), but I feel like I’m trending in the right direction and I thought today was another step forward.”
Corbin, who spent his first six seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, has faced the Giants more than any other opponent in his career. He is 9-8 with a 2.95 ERA in 26 games (24 starts) vs. San Francisco.
After winning the first two games, the Nationals settled for a split of their four-game series against the Diamondbacks, losing the finale 4-3 on Thursday.
Trailing 4-2, Washington loaded the bases in both the eighth and ninth innings but managed only one run on a catcher’s interference call in the eighth. In the ninth, Juan Soto popped out against Diamondbacks closer Mark Melancon with the bases loaded to end the game.
“We battled back and we had our best hitter up with a chance to win the game,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “Just didn’t happen.”
Nelson Cruz’s two-run homer accounted for the other Washington runs and Keibert Ruiz had two hits.
–Field Level Media