Anthony DeSclafani was pushed back a day this week to get extra rest, and then had to wait one more night after the Giants and Nationals were rained out Thursday night. He was worth the wait.
DeSclafani threw his second shutout of the year and allowed just two hits, leading the Giants to a 1-0 win over the Washington Nationals. He faced just one batter over the minimum but did get some help. For the second time this season, Mike Tauchman went over the left field wall to pull a home run back. A few weeks after robbing Albert Pujols, he stunned Nationals superstar Juan Soto.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
DeSclafani took care of the rest, and the shoutout couldn't have come at a better time. The Giants have a doubleheader tomorrow and the second game will be a bullpen effort. The group got to take the whole night off. Here are three things to know ...
Friday Night Disco
DeSclafani had one career shutout entering this season but already has two through 13 starts with the Giants. He faced the minimum through six innings, allowing a hit and walk but erasing both runners with double plays. The only real threat came in the seventh, when Soto worked a long at-bat and lofted a high fly the other way. Tauchman was there for his second robbery in the last month:
DeSclafani gave up just two hits and walked one. He struck out eight while lowering his ERA to 3.09.
Bad Break
San Francisco Giants
Find the latest San Francisco Giants news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Max Scherzer lasted just 12 pitches before coming out with an undisclosed injury. That was a bummer for fans, who were robbed of what would have been a very fun pitching matchup given the way DeSclafani pitched. Scherzer entered the night with a 2.22 ERA.
The Giants were lucky to avoid one of the league's best pitchers, but the road didn't get any easier.
The Nationals turned it into a bullpen game and had a lot of success, using five different relievers to hold the Giants to four hits. The Giants didn't have a baserunner after the fourth.
Buster Bash
Tauchman made sure Soto couldn't reach the visiting bullpen, but Posey had enough backspin to loft a solo shot just over the wall in the fourth inning to give DeSclafani a lead. The homer was Posey's 11th of the year but first since May 28.
With 11 homers through 42 appearances, Posey is already nearly halfway to his career-high of 24, set in 2012 when he won the NL MVP award. He hasn't reached 20 homers since he hit 22 in 2014.