Robbie Ray moves to 7-0 with 6 strong innings, Sam Huff homers and Giants beat Nationals 3-2
Robbie Ray moves to 7-0 with 6 strong innings, Sam Huff homers and Giants beat Nationals 3-2
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames, left, and Mike Yastrzemski, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski prepares to make a catch on a fly ball by Washington Nationals’ Alex Call for the out during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals outfielder Alex Call leaps in vain for a ball that went for a home run by San Francisco Giants’ Sam Huff during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2), Heliot Ramos, center, and Jung Hoo Lee, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames, left, and Mike Yastrzemski, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames, left, and Mike Yastrzemski, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski prepares to make a catch on a fly ball by Washington Nationals’ Alex Call for the out during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski prepares to make a catch on a fly ball by Washington Nationals’ Alex Call for the out during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals outfielder Alex Call leaps in vain for a ball that went for a home run by San Francisco Giants’ Sam Huff during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals outfielder Alex Call leaps in vain for a ball that went for a home run by San Francisco Giants’ Sam Huff during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2), Heliot Ramos, center, and Jung Hoo Lee, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2), Heliot Ramos, center, and Jung Hoo Lee, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Robbie Ray pitched six strong innings to improve to 7-0, Sam Huff homered and the San Francisco Giants hung on to beat the Nationals 3-2 on Sunday and take two of three at Washington.
Ray allowed a run on three hits and struck out seven without a walk, lowering his ERA to 2.56.
Washington’s CJ Abrams led off the ninth with a double off of closer Ryan Walker. James Wood drove Abrams in with a one-out double to make it 3-2, but Walker retired the next two batters to earn his 10th save.
The AL Cy Young Award winner in 2021 with Toronto, Ray became the second Giants pitcher in the past 30 years to start a season 7-0 after Kevin Gausman did it in 2021. The Giants are 10-1 in Ray’s starts.
Washington’s Michael Soroka (1-2) went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
Leading off the second, Huff hit a shot to left that bounced off the top of the wall and into the Giants bullpen to make it 2-0. Mike Yastrzemski followed with a triple off the center field fence and scored on a grounder by Heliot Ramos.
Nasim Nuñez singled, went to second on a groundout, stole third and scored on a wild pitch to pull the Nationals within 3-1 in the third.
Ray retired 12 of his final 13 batters.
Key moment
With one out and the tying run on second in the ninth, Walker fanned Nathaniel Lowe and got Alex Call on a fly to right.
Key stat
Ray is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 32 innings in five May starts.
Up next
Giants RHP Logan Birdsong (2-0, 1.91 ERA) pitches when the Giants open a three-game series at Detroit on Monday.
Nationals LHP Mitchell Parker (4-3, 4.39 ERA) starts the first of a three-game series at Seattle on Tuesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb