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SAN FRANCISCO - Once upon a time, the Nationals had 4-0 lead through six innings on the defending world champions, with John Lannan on the way to a well-deserved win. To say that game ended with a Nationals win would be fiction.
For the second straight day, the Nationals' bullpen blew a lead, and unlike Sunday's win over the Diamondbacks, they couldn't come back to win this time. They fell 5-4 to the Giants in 13 innings, after their final pitcher (Craig Stammen) gave up a single to Freddy Sanchez on a hanging curveball with men on first and third.
"(I wanted it) down and away - down, really," Stammen said. "It wasn't down."
The Nationals knocked Tim Lincecum out after five innings. Lannan allowed one run in seven innings. And they still lost. At this point, their bullpen has some issues.
"We've had some good games in the past against Tim Lincecum. He's a great pitcher," Riggleman said. "John did a great job. It kind of fell apart on us."
