WASHINGTON — Clint Robinson, a 30-year-old non-roster invitee by Washington in spring training who had just 13 major league at-bats before this season, hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to give the Nationals a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Robinson, playing first base in place of the injured Ryan Zimmerman, is 20 for 69 (.290) with four homers and 12 RBIs in his last 21 games. His homer off right-hander Jake Peavy (0-3) made a winner of left-hander Gio Gonzalez (6-4) who allowed a run and five hits in seven innings.
Buster Posey had homered on Gonzalez’s first pitch of the seventh inning to give San Francisco a 1-0 lead in the teams’ first meeting since the Giants beat the Nationals in five games in the 2014 NLDS.
Angel Pagan’s single past Washington second baseman Danny Espinosa with one out in the sixth ended Gonzalez’s streak of 10 straight outs. Two of the first three Nats got hits, but Peavy, who was activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, didn’t allow another one until Robinson came through to extend the defending World Series champions’ losing streak to four games.
A crowd of 41,683, Washington’s 10th sellout in 37 home games, watched newest Racing President Calvin Coolidge win his debut by knocking over fellow Republicans Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
Bryce Harper, who came in ranked in the top five in baseball in homers, RBIs, slugging percentage and on base percentage, walked in each of his first three plate appearances before he was retired with two on in the eighth by rookie left-hander Josh Osich, who was called up from Triple-A Sacramento earlier Friday. Nats closer Drew Storen recorded his 24th save, second in the NL.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Peavy (back) was activated from the DL in time make the start to start. He took the roster spot of fellow veteran RHP Tim Hudson (shoulder), who went on the DL.
Nationals: Manager Matt Williams said that injured infielders Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis) and Anthony Rendon (quadriceps) are making slow progress as they attempt to return from the DL. … Reliever Aaron Barrett (biceps) is scheduled to make a second rehab appearance for one of Washington’s minor league affiliates on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (8-4, 2.99), the 2014 World Series MVP, was 2-2 in five starts in June, allowing 33 hits and 12 earned runs in 39 innings.
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (5-5, 5.49) has made two starts since returning from a stint on the DL with neck tightness. He allowed two runs and eight hits in 12 innings in those starts.
