WASHINGTON -- The Nationals showed Sunday afternoon that they don't have that give-up mentality. They were down by five runs, but scored six in the sixth inning and downed the Giants, 14-6, at Nationals Park.When he allowed a solo home run to Ian Desmond in the sixth inning, Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong left the game with a 6-3 lead, but San Francisco's bullpen couldn't stop the Nationals on this day. Left-hander Jeremy Affeldt entered the game and couldn't get anybody out. 
Bryce Harper started things with a double. After Asdrubal Cabrera reached base on an infield single, Jose Lobaton was at the plate when Harper scored on a wild pitch, while Cabrera advanced to second.Seconds later, Lobaton singled to left field, sending Cabrera home to make it a 6-5 game. Scott Hairston, pinch-hitting for right-hander Craig Stammen, doubled down the left-field line, sending Lobaton home to tie the game.After Denard Span reached base on an infield single, right-hander Jean Machi entered the game and quickly picked off Span for the second out of the inning. But Machi didn't fare any better than Affeldt.After Anthony Rendon reached base on a walk, Jayson Werth singled up the middle, scoring Hairston and giving Washington a 7-6 lead. Adam LaRoche then added to the lead when he singled to left field, scoring Rendon. The Nats ended up with eight hits in the inning, the most they've had in an inning this season.Left-hander Javier Lopez was on the mound in the seventh when Lobaton scored on a single by Span. The Nationals tacked on five more runs in the eighth, including two-run homers by Harper and Danny Espinosa.The reliable Washington bullpen did its part, with Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano blanking San Francisco over the final three innings. The Nationals also moved eight games ahead of the Braves in the National League East race. Atlanta lost to the Reds, 5-3, at Great American Ball Park.Although the Nationals won the game, there has to be some concern about right-hander Stephen Strasburg. After having two solid outings in which he allowed one earned run in 15 innings, Strasburg took a step back Sunday, pitching four innings and allowing five runs on eight hits.Strasburg had problems keeping the ball down as he allowed solo home runs to Gregor Blanco and Travis Ishikawa in the first two innings. The Giants then added three more runs in the third inning. Michael Morse highlighted the scoring with an RBI double.But, starting with Stammen, the bullpen stopped the bleeding as the Nationals won their 75th game of the season.Chris Haft / MLB.com
Bryce Harper started things with a double. After Asdrubal Cabrera reached base on an infield single, Jose Lobaton was at the plate when Harper scored on a wild pitch, while Cabrera advanced to second.Seconds later, Lobaton singled to left field, sending Cabrera home to make it a 6-5 game. Scott Hairston, pinch-hitting for right-hander Craig Stammen, doubled down the left-field line, sending Lobaton home to tie the game.After Denard Span reached base on an infield single, right-hander Jean Machi entered the game and quickly picked off Span for the second out of the inning. But Machi didn't fare any better than Affeldt.After Anthony Rendon reached base on a walk, Jayson Werth singled up the middle, scoring Hairston and giving Washington a 7-6 lead. Adam LaRoche then added to the lead when he singled to left field, scoring Rendon. The Nats ended up with eight hits in the inning, the most they've had in an inning this season.Left-hander Javier Lopez was on the mound in the seventh when Lobaton scored on a single by Span. The Nationals tacked on five more runs in the eighth, including two-run homers by Harper and Danny Espinosa.The reliable Washington bullpen did its part, with Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano blanking San Francisco over the final three innings. The Nationals also moved eight games ahead of the Braves in the National League East race. Atlanta lost to the Reds, 5-3, at Great American Ball Park.Although the Nationals won the game, there has to be some concern about right-hander Stephen Strasburg. After having two solid outings in which he allowed one earned run in 15 innings, Strasburg took a step back Sunday, pitching four innings and allowing five runs on eight hits.Strasburg had problems keeping the ball down as he allowed solo home runs to Gregor Blanco and Travis Ishikawa in the first two innings. The Giants then added three more runs in the third inning. Michael Morse highlighted the scoring with an RBI double.But, starting with Stammen, the bullpen stopped the bleeding as the Nationals won their 75th game of the season.Chris Haft / MLB.com
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