NLDS Game 2 at Nationals Park (Giants v. Nationals) by Joseph Gruber is licensed under CC by 2.0
Brandon Belt hit a home run in the top of the 18th to give the Giants a 2-1 lead (that would be the final). It was the first run since the Giants tied it up in the top of the 9th. The game saw 17 pitchers (nine by the Nationals and eight by the Giants) and 119 at bats. Both pitching staffs dominated, as their was only 17 hits in 18 innings combined by both teams and it will be interesting to see how the pitchers do Monday. It was the longest game in MLB postseason history at 6 hours, 23 minutes. The Giants now have a 2-0 lead on Washington, with the series heading to San Francisco.
Anthony Rendon had a great game for the Nationals, he had four of Washington nine hits. All of Rendon hits where singles. The Nationals had only one extra base hit and it came off the bat of Asdrubal Cabrera. Jordan Zimmermann pitched 8 2/3 inning giving up one run and striking out six. Zimmermann gave up six hits and gave up the walk that led to the game tying run by the Giants. After the walk, Nationals manager Matt Williams took Zimmermann out and replaced him with Drew Storen, who have up two hits. I think Williams should have let Zimmermann at least face Buster Posey, who was the first batter Storen faced. Washington is now facing elimination, after losing a game they should have won.
Buster Posey had three hits for the Giants and he was thrown out at the plate on a close call in the top of the ninth. Pablo Sandoval had the big hit that drove in the tying run, it was his only hit of the game (Sandoval is 2-12 so far in the playoffs). Brandon Belt hit the go ahead home run in the 18th, it was Belt only hit of the game. Tim Hudson pitched a great game going 7 1/3 innings giving up one earned run and striking out eight.
Doug Fister (16-6) will go for Washington and Madison Bumgarner (18-10) will go for the Giants. Bumgarner pitched a complete game shut out against the Pirates in the Wild Card game.
