San Francisco Giants vs Washington Nationals Match Player Stats On Jun 11, 2021

Anthony DeSclafani tossed his second shutout of the season and the visiting San Francisco Giants defeated the Washington Nationals 1-0 in the opener of a four-game series Friday night, in a game that also featured an early departure by Nationals starter Max Scherzer to injury.

Buster Posey homered for the Giants, who have won nine of 12.

DeSclafani (6-2) allowed two hits and a walk while striking out eight with 103 pitches. He threw a three-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on April 26. It was his third career complete game.

San Francisco left fielder Mike Tauchman robbed Juan Soto of a potential game-tying home run with a leaping catch in the seventh.

Scherzer left with an injury in the first inning after throwing just 12 pitches. In the final season of a seven-year contract, Scherzer appeared to squat briefly and wince after a pitch to Brandon Belt. After manager Dave Martinez and the Nationals trainer came to the mound, the right-hander threw one warmup pitch before leaving the game.

Paolo Espino (0-2) relieved Scherzer, allowing one run in 3 1/3 inning as five Nationals relievers combined to allow one run over 8 2/3 innings of what became a bullpen game.

The Nationals, who were shut out for the eighth time this season, have lost four of five.

With one out in the fourth, Posey connected with an 0-1 slider from Espino for his 11th home run of the season, a shot to left center.

In the seventh, Soto timed a 3-2 changeup and sent a shot to deep left-center, but Tauchman got to the wall in front of the Giants' bullpen, leaped and made the catch. Josh Bell followed with a ground-rule double, but DeSclafani retired Kyle Schwarber to end the inning.

Soto got a measure of revenge when he made a sliding catch in right field to rob LaMonte Wade Jr. of a possible hit in the eighth.

--Field Level Media