 struck out nine, walked one and a hit a batter over 7 2/3 innings against a struggling San Francisco offense that came in with a .208 average. The lone hits against the 29-year-old lefty were a fifth-inning double by Evan Longoria and a two-out RBI double by Erik Kratz in the eighth.After Kratz broke up the shutout, Corbin exited to cheers from most of the 26,085 fans at the weekday afternoon game in the nation's capital.Kyle Barraclough entered and retired pinch-hitter Buster Posey. Sean Doolittle worked the ninth, giving up three hits and a run while earning his second save.The Giants had problems with Corbin's fastball and the strike zone of home plate umpire Ryan Additon. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy was tossed in the fifth inning and left fielder Brandon Belt was ejected in the seventh after he threw down his helmet in disgust over a called third strike.There were a combined 23 strikeouts in the game, 12 of them called.San Francisco starter Drew Pomeranz (0-2) gave up four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out seven but walked three.After the Giants went down in order to start the game, Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-out RBI double in the bottom half for a 1-0 lead. San Francisco is the only team in the majors that hasn't scored in the first and is 6 for 63 (.095) in the inning.In the third, Anthony Rendon extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games with a two-out double and scored on a double by Juan Soto.Difo hit a solo shot in the fourth, and Pomeranz was lifted after issuing a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.TRAINER'S ROOMGiants: Tyler Austin started at first base after missing six games with inflammation in his right elbow. Asked if he was concerned about the elbow, Bochy replied, ''To be honest, yes. That's why he's not in left field.'' Nationals: Victor Robles showed no ill effects after crashing into the wall Wednesday night chasing a HR by Gerardo Parra. ''We checked on him last night. He was jumping around, actually, saying he was fine,'' manager Dave Martinez said. ... Martinez is looking for a proper balance for Doolittle, who has pitched in nine of Washington's first 17 games. ''You can't burn him out right now. We have to make sure we're careful with him so we have him in August and September.'' CS FANMartinez showed up to his pregame press conference wearing a hat that read, ''ALL CS,'' a show of support for the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.''I think they're doing well. They've got their boxing gloves going right now,'' Martinez said, punching the air with both fists. In a Game 3 loss to Carolina, Caps star Alex Overchkin got into a fight with rookie Andrei Svechnikov, who ended up in concussion protocol.UP NEXTGiants: LHP Madison Bumgardner (1-2, 3.12 ERA) helps San Francisco opens a three-game series in Pittsburgh on Friday night.Nationals: RHP Annibal Sanchez (0-1, 4.86) returns to his roots in the opener of a three-game set in Miami on Friday. Sanchez began his career with the Marlins, going 44-45 in 133 games from 2006-11.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Giants' Bochy reflects on possible last series in D. C. The only regular-season series in the nation's capital this year takes on special meaning for Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who announced in February he will retire after this season.Bochy spent part of his youth in nearby Falls Church, Virginia, and he reflected on that when he drove to Nationals Park on Tuesday.As a boy he went to RFK Stadium with his father to see the Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians for his first game, and he later saw Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees. He played Little League baseball in northern Virginia."This is where it started for me," said Bochy, 64, sitting in the Giants' third-base dugout. "I have some great memories." Bochy has won three World Series titles as the Giants manager, and he has been in that spot since 2007.For the series finale Thursday at 1:05 p.m. ET he will start lefty Drew Pomeranz (0-1, 3.86), who is slated to make the 200th appearance of his career. It will be his fourth start of the season and his first at Nationals Park since July 6, 2012. He's 2-0 in two starts with a 2.19 ERA against the Nationals in his career.His last start came Friday at home as he went five innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He did not figure in the decision as the Giants won in 18 innings over the Colorado Rockies.The Nationals starter on Thursday will be lefty Patrick Corbin (0-0, 2.84), who is 4-1 in his last seven starts against the Giants with a 1.93 ERA and just one homer allowed. He's 8-8 in 25 games (23 starts) against San Francisco with a 4.96 ERA. The Giants are the team he has opposed most.Washington won 9-6 on Wednesday with four homers but was forced to use closer Sean Doolittle to get the last two outs in the ninth after Austen Williams gave up four runs earlier in the inning."It's tough. We had to close out the game," Washington manager Dave Martinez said of using Doolittle. "We will see (Thursday if he can pitch). We had to win that game." Matt Adams hit a three-run shot for the Nationals."We are putting pressure on the other team," Adams said.Nationals shortstop Trea Turner won't be in the lineup Thursday but the team got good news as he took grounders before Wednesday's game. He has been out since April 3 with a broken index finger."He's actually keeping his legs in shape," Martinez told reporters. "He's doing everything he possibly can without using his index finger. There's still no timetable for him, but he's keeping the rest of his body in great shape." Nationals second baseman Brian Dozier was out of the starting lineup Wednesday after he fouled a ball off his foot Tuesday.Bochy told reporters backup catcher Erik Kratz will make the start in the day game Thursday. He was acquired by the Brewers late in spring training to be the backup for all-star regular Buster Posey.Kratz caught all 18 innings of the 3-2 win at home Friday over the Colorado Rockies and he drove in the winning run with a fielder's choice. That matched the longest game at Oracle Park.In 2016, Kratz caught all 18 innings at Nationals Park in his last game with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kratz has caught 58 innings so far this season for the Giants.--Field Level Media
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