The Sports Xchange
May 29, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO -- Right-hander Tanner Roark pitched seven shutout innings, and the Washington Nationals defeated the San Francisco Giants 3-0 Monday in a game interrupted by a benches-clearing brawl that resulted in the ejection of Nationals star Bryce Harper.
Ryan Zimmerman had a home run among three hits, and Daniel Murphy drove in a pair of runs with a double and a single, helping the Nationals open a nine-game Western swing with their sixth victory in eight games.
A fight broke out with two outs in the top of the eighth inning when Giants right-hander Hunter Strickland plunked Harper on the right hip with a fastball. Harper charged the mound, and both players connected with head punches before reinforcements arrived and separated the pair.
Both Harper and Strickland were ejected. Strickland had to be dragged off the field by four teammates.
Roark (5-2) ran his career record to 6-0 against the Giants by scattering six hits and a walk. He struck out six.
The Giants got only two runners as far as second base off Roark, one coming on Christian Arroyo's leadoff double in the second inning.
Zimmerman gave his pitcher an early lead with his 14th homer, a solo shot, in the second inning off Giants starter Matt Moore.
The Nationals tacked on single runs in the sixth and eighth innings, both off the bat of Murphy.
Murphy's two-out, sixth-inning double scored Zimmerman, who had singled. In the eighth, Murphy made the Giants pay for hitting Harper, singling home pinch runner Brian Goodwin with two outs to make it 3-0.
Seeking a third straight win, the Giants threatened against the Washington bullpen in the eighth.
After left-hander Oliver Perez walked Joe Panik, righty Shawn Kelley came on with two outs and allowed singles to Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford that loaded the bases.
However, Kelley got Justin Ruggiano to fly to left field, keeping the shutout intact.
Nationals closer Koda Glover worked a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two, for his sixth save.
Moore (2-6) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Posey, Ruggiano and Brandon Belt had two hits apiece for the Giants, who stranded nine baserunners.
NOTES: Nationals RF Bryce Harper was ejected for the ninth time in his career. Giants RHP Hunter Strickland's ejection was his first. ... Nationals manager Dusty Baker returned to the team after missing the club's three-game home series against San Diego over the weekend while attending his son's high school graduation near Sacramento, Calif. ... The Nationals also got 2B Daniel Murphy back after he didn't make a start in the Padres series due to an illness. ... Before the game, the Nationals reinstated INF Stephen Drew (strained right hamstring) from the disabled list and demoted LHP Matt Grace to Triple-A Syracuse. ... The Giants played without INF/OF Eduardo Nunez, who underwent tests Monday for a possible concussion sustained Sunday in a win over Atlanta.