What we learned as Webb struggles in ugly blowout loss to Nats
What we learned as Webb struggles in ugly blowout loss to Nats originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
WASHINGTON D.C. -- About 45 minutes into Saturday night's game at Nationals Park, the only question for the Giants was which position player they would use on the mound.
They didn't end up using one, but that was really the only positive on this night.
Logan Webb had the shortest start of his career and the young Washington Nationals kept piling on once he departed, handing the Giants a 10-1 loss that was their fourth straight after a seven-game winning streak. With their fourth loss of the season to the Nationals, the Giants fell four games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers, who have scored 27 runs the past two nights as their NL West rival's offense has fallen apart.
The Giants haven't given Webb run support all season, but it wouldn't have mattered on this night. He had a long second inning and was pulled after CJ Abrams hit a two-run shot that made it 6-0.
One To Forget
It certainly won't help lessen the sting, but Webb isn't the first Giants ace to have a nightmare outing at Nationals Park. Madison Bumgarner pitched a pair of Fourth of July games here and gave up seven runs the first time and six runs three years later.
Webb's rough night was just as surprising because he's been as hot as any pitcher in the National League in July. Webb allowed just four runs over 22 1/3 innings in his three previous starts this month, but the Nationals worked him hard in the second inning and Sean Manaea was warming up before Abrams' two-run shot found the seats in right field. At that point, the Giants slowed things down to give Manaea time to warm up and get Webb -- who had thrown 41 pitches in the inning -- out of the game.
The six runs were a season-high for Webb, who gave up five hits, walked one, and saw all six of those runners come across in the second. The outing raised his ERA from 3.11 to 3.48.
Wearing It
When Manaea entered with the Giants already trailing by six runs, he had no choice but to exhaust his pitch count no matter how things went on the mound. They did not go great.
After the Giants got a run back in the third, Manaea was hit with a four-spot in the fourth. Those were the only runs he allowed, but the Nationals picked up nine hits in his 5 2/3 innings. Manaea got the game through the seventh, at least, but the latest outing raised his ERA to 5.86.
Where Did The Bats Go?
The Giants managed just four hits off Josiah Gray, who was wild early but settled in and cruised with a big lead. The All-Star right-hander allowed just a sacrifice fly in seven innings. That's kind of been the story of July for the Giants.
RELATED: Giants notes: Why Flores, Bailey are out of lineup vs. Nats
Entering the night, the lineup was averaging just 3.6 runs per game this month, the second-worst production in the Majors. The Giants also rank 29th in OPS in July, and they entered the night with a .208 average. After hitting 46 homers in March and April, the power has tailed off. The Giants have just 16 in July.
Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast
