WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Wood pitched five effective innings and San Francisco's bullpen closed it out, leading the Giants to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Wilmer Flores and Joc Pederson each had two hits for San Francisco, which won for the third time in four games. It beat Washington 7-1 in the series opener Friday night.
Wood (2-0) allowed two runs and four hits. The left-hander struck out five and walked one.
Wood's career ERA at Nationals Park rose slightly to 2.85 in eight starts. It is second best among all active pitchers (minimum 40 innings pitched) behind Jacob deGrom’s 2.80.
After Wood departed, Dominic Leone, John Brebbia and Tyler Rogers each pitched an inning before Camilo Doval worked the ninth for his third save.
Riley Adams homered for Washington.
Aaron Sanchez (0-1), who pitched in nine games for the Giants last season, was called up from Triple-A Rochester to make the start for Washington. He lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits.
The Giants scored four times in the fifth to open a 5-0 lead.
After Luis Gonzalez’ sacrifice fly made it 2-0, Thairo Estrada stole second and scored on Curt Casali’s single, which chased Sanchez. Casali scored on a bases-loaded force at second and Pederson made it 5-0 when he singled through the shortstop spot vacated by the shift.
The Nationals rallied in the fifth on Adams’ homer and an RBI single by Lane Thomas, but Wood struck out Juan Soto to end the inning.
Austin Slater turned in his second run-saving catch in two days for the Giants, making a diving grab in center against Alcides Escobar with two on in the sixth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: 1B Josh Bell left after the second inning, during which he walked and later ended up on third base. The Nationals don’t generally provide in-game injury updates, but Bell left a game Wednesday with left knee tightness.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Logan Webb (1-1, 2.55 ERA) starts on Sunday. He gave up three runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings in a loss to the Mets on Tuesday. He pitched three scoreless innings in his lone start against Washington in July 2019.
Nationals: The Nationals have not announced a starting pitcher for Sunday.
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