SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants got timely hits, a standout starting effort from pitcher Jordan Hicks and even stole their first bases of the season Wednesday in a 7-1 getaway day win over the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park.
The win prevented a series sweep before a crowd of 25,558 and completed a 3-3 homestand, with the Giants (5-9) taking Thursday off in Florida before three-game sets against Tampa Bay and Miami. The Nationals fell to 5-7.
Hicks gave up just one run in six innings, with Joey Gallo hitting hitting a solo home run leading off the second, his third of the season. Now 2-0, Hicks gave up four hits with two walks and two strikeouts and recording ground ball double plays in the fourth and fifth inning.
Tyler Fitzgerald, starting in center field in place of the resting Jung Hoo Lee, went 3-for-3 including a double and had a pair of stole bases, the first of the season for the Giants.
Umpire Chris Guccione watches as San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Fitzgerald slides safely into 2nd base on a fifth inning double against the Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
A converted reliever who show no signs of going back to the bullpen, Hicks threw 79 pitches, 51 of which were strikes and has given up two earned runs in 18 inning over three starts. Ryan Walker pitched a scoreless seventh, Landon Roupp did the same in the eighth and Erik Miller finished it off in the ninth.
HIcks got into trouble in the second with a walk to Jesse Winker — during which trainer Dave Groeschner checked on him to see if something was amiss — and a pitch-clock violation walk to Gallo. He then retired Eddie Rosario on a fly to left and Trey Lipscomb on a 1-4-3 double play.
The Giants’ third stolen base of the game led to a run in the sixth and a 6-1 lead. Matt Chapman opened with a single, stole second, went to third on a fly to center by Thairo Estrada and scored on a single to center by Nick Ahmed.
San Francisco Giants’ Nick Ahmed hits an RBI triple in the second inning against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
It wasn’t over, however, as Fitzgerald’s third hit chased Corbin and pinch hitter Lamonte Wade Jr. hit a cue-shot infield single that scored Ahmed, with Fitzgerald cut down at the plate for the third out to put the Giants up 7-1.
The lead was 5-1 after the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Wilmer Flores and a two-out run-scoring single by Michael Conforto.
Ahmed started it with an infield single that Corbin couldn’t handle, with Fitzgerald slicing a triple to right to put runners at second and third. Flores’ fly to deep center scored Ahmed, and Conforto dumped a single to right to bring home Fitzgerald.
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The Giants had only scored five runs on the homestand before scoring three times with two out against Corbin in the second on an RBI triple by Nick Ahmed, a run-scoring single by Fitzgerald and a run-scoring infield single by Austin Slater.
Not only that, but Fitzgerald swiped both second and third before he scored — the first two stolen bases of the season for the Giants. Slater even tried to make it three steals but was thrown out by Drew Millas to end the inning.
Attendance for the three-game Washington series was 75,520 after the Giants drew 120,728 in an opening series sellout against the San Diego Padres.
San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Fitzgerald gets high fives in the dugout after doubling and scoring in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Tyler Fitzgerald, one of the stars of the San Francisco Giants 7-1 victory over the Washington Nationals, signs autographs after the game, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
