WASHINGTON -- Despite a dominant performance by Madison Bumgarner, the Nationals bested the Giants, 2-0, during a pitching duel at Nationals Park on Monday evening. The Giants have now lost eight of their last 10 games and dropped the four-game wraparound series.
Bumgarner failed to pick up his long-awaited first win of the season, in spite of a brilliant performance. He dropped to 0-5 on the season, still searching for his elusive first win.
"It's a shame we couldn't get him a win tonight," said manager Bruce Bochy after the game. "We're not hitting. We're awful right now. We know it."
Despite the loss, Bumgarner looked more like the confident starter who impressed so many during his magical rookie season, than a young pitcher struggling to fight his way through a sophomore slump. Bumgarner worked seven innings, allowing four hits and two unearned runs while striking out seven.
"I think we'll be fine," Bumgarner said. "Everybody's working hard. Everybody's playing the right way. Things just aren't going our way right now for whatever reason. I'm sure things will turn around. It's still early."
It took until the fifth inning for Washington to put a runner on base when catcher Wilson Ramos reached by doubling off the visiting bullpen wall. Ian Desmond's sacrifice bunt advanced Ramos, but strikeouts by both Michael Morse and Jerry Hairston ended the threat.
Ramos reached again in the seventh inning when a ball just brushed past Miguel Tejada's glove. Desmond's hit put runners at the corners with two outs for Morse, who drove home the first run. Hairston's double to short center scored the second run for Washington.
"I never make any excuses," Tejada said of the error. "I should have got that ball. I missed the ball and I'm sorry. It's part of baseball and tomorrow's another day. I'm going to try to do my best."
While it's true that Pablo Sandoval is sorely missed, both in the lineup and at third base, Tejada's teammates refused to let the outcome of the game rest on his mistake.
"If that's the play that's going to cost you the game right there, then it's everybody's fault," said Aubrey Huff. "We're not hitting -- bottom line. You want to put the blame on anybody, put it on the offense. We're just not doing anything offensively, including myself."
Nationals starter Tom Gorzelanny put up equally impressive numbers for the night, allowing three hits during his eight innings of work. Throughout the entire series, the Giants were stymied by Washington's starters, a rotation that has yet to have a starter not finish the fifth inning. All told, the Giants scored only four runs during the four-game series.
"We're struggling," Bochy said. "You keep thinking you're going to come out of it. It's not happening. You keep working, that's all you can do. There's no getting around it -- they're pressing. Their confidence is shaken. I think teams are catching us at a good time."
Aaron Rowand, who was 2-for-6 with two home runs off Gorzelanny entering Monday's game, continued to look relatively comfortable against the lefty. In the first inning, Rowand led off with a double but the heart of the order stranded him on third after Freddy Sanchez's sacrifice bunt. Rowand's third-inning single also failed to produce a run.
Both Tejada and Bumgarner also fell victim to Washington's dazzling defense Monday. In the fifth inning, Nationals center fielder Rick Ankiel's diving catch robbed Tejada of a hit. Bumgarner's sixth-inning drive to left field looked like a sure hit before Morse made an improbable catch.
Giants shortstop Mike Fontenot returned the favor by stealing a hit from Gorzelanny in the sixth with an impressive grab.
"Both pitchers were outstanding tonight and we finally got a little break," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "Guys were taking some hits away from each club. Gorzelanny was just outstanding."
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