WASHINGTON -- The Giants don't rely on just one way to win. They draw upon multiple resources, which accounted for how they lengthened their postseason winning streak to nine games by outlasting the Washington Nationals in Friday's National League Division Series opener, 3-2.The Giants won with the vigor of youth, as second baseman Joe Panik drove in one run and scored another and fellow rookie Hunter Strickland ended a bases-loaded Nationals threat with a sixth-inning strikeout. 
They won with veteran savvy, as right-hander Jake Peavy blanked Washington for 5 2/3 innings. And they won with effective relief, as Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla combined to blank Washington for the final 2 1/3 innings.The Giants were unfazed by the test of facing Stephen Strasburg, the NL's co-leader in strikeouts who ended the regular season with a streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings. They collected eight hits off the right-hander as he lasted two batters into the sixth inning. But the Giants squandered more scoring chances than they converted, going 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.Fortunately for the Giants, they reciprocated this frustration. Washington loaded the bases in the sixth inning on ex-Giant Nate Schierholtz's pinch-hit double and a pair of walks -- the first to Jayson Werth, which finished Peavy, and the second to Adam LaRoche, the only batter Javier Lopez faced. In came Strickland, who threw ball one to Ian Desmond before firing three fastballs in a row past him at ascending velocities -- 98 mph, 99, 100 -- for the inning-ending strikeout.Strickland proved that he's fallible by allowing a pair of seventh-inning homers, Bryce Harper's titanic upper-deck clout and Asdrubal Cabrera's drive into the right-field bullpen. But Panik prevented a two-out rally from developing by diving to snare Denard Span's grounder before throwing to first for the out.Earlier, Peavy made a mockery of his postseason past by yielding two singles and walking three batters, issuing each free pass with two outs. He entered the game with a lifetime record of 0-3 and a 9.27 ERA in five postseason starts.A look at the calendar would have revealed what was in store for the Giants. It was Oct. 3, a date distinguished by several notable Giants triumphs and moments -- Bobby Thomson's homer in 1951, the Game 3 playoff win over the Dodgers in 1962, the Joe Morgan game in 1982 and the division-clinching victory over San Diego in 2010.The Giants began adding this one to the list as they opened the scoring in the third inning. After Travis Ishikawa singled, Peavy pushed a bunt toward first baseman LaRoche, who threw to second base in a force-play attempt. Ishikawa beat the throw, as a video review requested by manager Bruce Bochy confirmed.One out later, Washington catcher Wilson Ramos committed a passed ball, advancing the runners and making it easier for Ishikawa to score on Panik's single to center field.San Francisco struck again in the fourth. Hunter Pence forced out Pablo Sandoval at second base but stole second on Strasburg's 1-2 pitch to Brandon Belt, an unusual count for sending a runner. Belt made the strategy work by singling home Pence.Panik tripled off the left-center-field wall to open the seventh and came home on Buster Posey's single off reliever Craig Stammen's glove.Chris Haft / MLB.com
They won with veteran savvy, as right-hander Jake Peavy blanked Washington for 5 2/3 innings. And they won with effective relief, as Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla combined to blank Washington for the final 2 1/3 innings.The Giants were unfazed by the test of facing Stephen Strasburg, the NL's co-leader in strikeouts who ended the regular season with a streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings. They collected eight hits off the right-hander as he lasted two batters into the sixth inning. But the Giants squandered more scoring chances than they converted, going 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.Fortunately for the Giants, they reciprocated this frustration. Washington loaded the bases in the sixth inning on ex-Giant Nate Schierholtz's pinch-hit double and a pair of walks -- the first to Jayson Werth, which finished Peavy, and the second to Adam LaRoche, the only batter Javier Lopez faced. In came Strickland, who threw ball one to Ian Desmond before firing three fastballs in a row past him at ascending velocities -- 98 mph, 99, 100 -- for the inning-ending strikeout.Strickland proved that he's fallible by allowing a pair of seventh-inning homers, Bryce Harper's titanic upper-deck clout and Asdrubal Cabrera's drive into the right-field bullpen. But Panik prevented a two-out rally from developing by diving to snare Denard Span's grounder before throwing to first for the out.Earlier, Peavy made a mockery of his postseason past by yielding two singles and walking three batters, issuing each free pass with two outs. He entered the game with a lifetime record of 0-3 and a 9.27 ERA in five postseason starts.A look at the calendar would have revealed what was in store for the Giants. It was Oct. 3, a date distinguished by several notable Giants triumphs and moments -- Bobby Thomson's homer in 1951, the Game 3 playoff win over the Dodgers in 1962, the Joe Morgan game in 1982 and the division-clinching victory over San Diego in 2010.The Giants began adding this one to the list as they opened the scoring in the third inning. After Travis Ishikawa singled, Peavy pushed a bunt toward first baseman LaRoche, who threw to second base in a force-play attempt. Ishikawa beat the throw, as a video review requested by manager Bruce Bochy confirmed.One out later, Washington catcher Wilson Ramos committed a passed ball, advancing the runners and making it easier for Ishikawa to score on Panik's single to center field.San Francisco struck again in the fourth. Hunter Pence forced out Pablo Sandoval at second base but stole second on Strasburg's 1-2 pitch to Brandon Belt, an unusual count for sending a runner. Belt made the strategy work by singling home Pence.Panik tripled off the left-center-field wall to open the seventh and came home on Buster Posey's single off reliever Craig Stammen's glove.Chris Haft / MLB.com
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