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SAN FRANCISCO — Although Ryan Zimmerman’s 30-game hitting streak ended right before he could carry it home to Washington, he thinks the monthlong experience will benefit him for years to come.
The Nationals’ rising star also got a less tangible prize: A whole new appreciation for the greatness of Joe DiMaggio.
“It makes you realize how much better 56 is than 30,” Zimmerman said, referring to the San Francisco native’s record hitting streak in 1941. “That’s a long time. ... To get a hit every single game, there’s got to be a little bit of luck involved.”
Zimmerman got no luck in the Nationals’ 6-3 victory over the Giants on Wednesday, going 0 for 3 with two walks. He never got the ball out of the infield, grounding into a fielder’s choice on his final chance in the ninth.
At least Zimmerman slid home with Washington’s sixth run moments later, allowing him to play a part in a rare victory for the frustrated Nationals, who have the majors’ worst record.
“I’m not relieved it’s over, because I would have liked to keep it going for as long as I can,” said Zimmerman, who fell just short of Vladimir Guerrero’s franchise-record 31-game streak with Montreal in 1999. “But it’ll be good to go back to the usual routine. ... I’ve said every day that I’d rather win. It’s been a tough year for us. I feel like we’re a lot better than our record.”
Zimmerman produced two groundouts and two walks against Giants starter Barry Zito, who walked Zimmerman intentionally to load the bases in the seventh after a wild pitch left first base open moments earlier. Both Zimmerman and Washington manager Manny Acta said they agreed with San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy’s decision.
“We had no choice,” Bochy said. “You’re behind in the count, and you have the hottest hitter in baseball up there. You’re trying to limit the damage. ... It’s impressive, what he did. We got caught the one time when we had to put him on, but he had four at-bats, and we pitched him well.”
Zimmerman grounded to shortstop against reliever Pat Misch in the ninth, but San Francisco’s fans gave him a standing ovation. His streak, the majors’ longest since Moises Alou hit in 30 straight for the Mets in 2007, ended right before Washington flew home for a 10-game homestand at Nationals Park, where the struggling club could have used something to celebrate.
“We all had fun, we all enjoyed it, and tomorrow is the next day to start a new one,” said rookie right-hander Shairon Martis, who allowed two hits over seven sharp innings to remain unbeaten this season.
Nick Johnson had an RBI double among his four hits, and Elijah Dukes drove in two runs with a broken-bat single in the seventh as the Nationals avoided a three-game sweep in San Francisco while snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Giants.
Martis (5-0), who walked four batters and hit another but didn’t allow a run until the seventh, is responsible for nearly half of the Nationals’ 11 victories this season. The former Giants farmhand also doubled and scored the game’s first run in the fifth.
Kip Wells earned his second career save.
Zito (1-3) gave up eight hits and four runs while pitching into the seventh, losing control of a tight game late in another tough loss on his 31st birthday. The former Oakland ace has been given just 2.29 runs of support in his seven starts this season, sabotaging his markedly improved performance after two disappointing years across the Bay.
“On the bright side, it keeps me focused on what I have to do,” Zito said. “It keeps me locked in. Of course, it would be great to come out and get five every time, but that’s not realistic in this game. Their guy on the other side was pretty good. He pitched out of some jams.”
The Giants scored 20 runs in the series’ first two games, including Pablo Sandoval’s game-ending three-run homer off Joe Beimel on Tuesday night, but couldn’t score against Martis until Rich Aurilia’s sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The Nationals’ bullpen struggled yet again, however. Sandoval added an RBI single in the eighth off Beimel, and Nate Schierholtz then tripled and scored in the ninth before Wells escaped trouble.
Notes: Giants OF Fred Lewis has a minor toe injury, but he drove home Schierholtz with a pinch-hit double in the ninth. ... Adam Dunn wasn’t in Washington’s starting lineup, but he popped out on one pitch as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
Longest Hitting Streaks
The longest consecutive-game hitting streaks in a single season in baseball history, including 1876-1900 (x-active):
Player, Team, Year No.
Joe DiMaggio, New York (A), 1941 56
Pete Rose, Cincinnati, 1978 44
Willie Keeler, Baltimore (N), 1897 44
Bill Dahlen, Chicago (N), 1894 42
George Sisler, St. Louis (A), 1922 41
Ty Cobb, Detroit, 1911 40
Paul Molitor, Milwaukee, 1987 39
Tommy Holmes, Boston (N), 1945 37
Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia, 2005 36
Chase Utley, Philadelphia, 2006 35
Luis Castillo, Florida, 2002 35
Ty Cobb, Detroit, 1917 35
Fred Clarke, Louisville, 1895 35
Benito Santiago, San Diego, 1987 34
Dom DiMaggio, Boston (A), 1949 34
George McQuinn, St. Louis (A), 1938 34
George Sisler, St. Louis (A), 1925 34
Heinie Manush, Washington, 1933 33
Rogers Hornsby, St. Louis (N), 1922 33
Hal Chase, New York (A), 1907 33
George Davis, New York (N), 1893 33
Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal, 1999 31
Ken Landreaux, Minnesota, 1980 31
Rico Carty, Atlanta, 1970 31
Willie Davis, Los Angeles, 1969 31
Sam Rice, Washington, 1924 31
Nap Lajoie, Cleveland, 1906 31
Ed Delahanty, Philadelphia, 1899 31
Moises Alou, New York (N), 2007 30
Ryan Zimmerman, Washington, 2009 30
Willy Taveras, Houston, 2006 30
Albert Pujols, St. Louis, 2003 30
Luis Gonzalez, Arizona, 1999 30
Sandy Alomar Jr., Cleveland, 1997 30
Eric Davis, Baltimore, 1997 30
Nomar Garciaparra, Boston, 1997 30
Jerome Walton, Chicago (N), 1989 30
George Brett, Kansas City, 1980 30
Ron LeFlore, Detroit, 1976 30
Stan Musial, St. Louis (N), 1950 30
Goose Goslin, Detroit, 1934 30
Bing Miller, Phi (A), 1929 30
Tris Speaker, Boston (A), 1912 30
Elmer Smith, Cincinnati, 1898 30
The Nationals’ rising star also got a less tangible prize: A whole new appreciation for the greatness of Joe DiMaggio.
“It makes you realize how much better 56 is than 30,” Zimmerman said, referring to the San Francisco native’s record hitting streak in 1941. “That’s a long time. ... To get a hit every single game, there’s got to be a little bit of luck involved.”
Zimmerman got no luck in the Nationals’ 6-3 victory over the Giants on Wednesday, going 0 for 3 with two walks. He never got the ball out of the infield, grounding into a fielder’s choice on his final chance in the ninth.
At least Zimmerman slid home with Washington’s sixth run moments later, allowing him to play a part in a rare victory for the frustrated Nationals, who have the majors’ worst record.
“I’m not relieved it’s over, because I would have liked to keep it going for as long as I can,” said Zimmerman, who fell just short of Vladimir Guerrero’s franchise-record 31-game streak with Montreal in 1999. “But it’ll be good to go back to the usual routine. ... I’ve said every day that I’d rather win. It’s been a tough year for us. I feel like we’re a lot better than our record.”
Zimmerman produced two groundouts and two walks against Giants starter Barry Zito, who walked Zimmerman intentionally to load the bases in the seventh after a wild pitch left first base open moments earlier. Both Zimmerman and Washington manager Manny Acta said they agreed with San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy’s decision.
“We had no choice,” Bochy said. “You’re behind in the count, and you have the hottest hitter in baseball up there. You’re trying to limit the damage. ... It’s impressive, what he did. We got caught the one time when we had to put him on, but he had four at-bats, and we pitched him well.”
Zimmerman grounded to shortstop against reliever Pat Misch in the ninth, but San Francisco’s fans gave him a standing ovation. His streak, the majors’ longest since Moises Alou hit in 30 straight for the Mets in 2007, ended right before Washington flew home for a 10-game homestand at Nationals Park, where the struggling club could have used something to celebrate.
“We all had fun, we all enjoyed it, and tomorrow is the next day to start a new one,” said rookie right-hander Shairon Martis, who allowed two hits over seven sharp innings to remain unbeaten this season.
Nick Johnson had an RBI double among his four hits, and Elijah Dukes drove in two runs with a broken-bat single in the seventh as the Nationals avoided a three-game sweep in San Francisco while snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Giants.
Martis (5-0), who walked four batters and hit another but didn’t allow a run until the seventh, is responsible for nearly half of the Nationals’ 11 victories this season. The former Giants farmhand also doubled and scored the game’s first run in the fifth.
Kip Wells earned his second career save.
Zito (1-3) gave up eight hits and four runs while pitching into the seventh, losing control of a tight game late in another tough loss on his 31st birthday. The former Oakland ace has been given just 2.29 runs of support in his seven starts this season, sabotaging his markedly improved performance after two disappointing years across the Bay.
“On the bright side, it keeps me focused on what I have to do,” Zito said. “It keeps me locked in. Of course, it would be great to come out and get five every time, but that’s not realistic in this game. Their guy on the other side was pretty good. He pitched out of some jams.”
The Giants scored 20 runs in the series’ first two games, including Pablo Sandoval’s game-ending three-run homer off Joe Beimel on Tuesday night, but couldn’t score against Martis until Rich Aurilia’s sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The Nationals’ bullpen struggled yet again, however. Sandoval added an RBI single in the eighth off Beimel, and Nate Schierholtz then tripled and scored in the ninth before Wells escaped trouble.
Notes: Giants OF Fred Lewis has a minor toe injury, but he drove home Schierholtz with a pinch-hit double in the ninth. ... Adam Dunn wasn’t in Washington’s starting lineup, but he popped out on one pitch as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
Longest Hitting Streaks
The longest consecutive-game hitting streaks in a single season in baseball history, including 1876-1900 (x-active):
Player, Team, Year No.
Joe DiMaggio, New York (A), 1941 56
Pete Rose, Cincinnati, 1978 44
Willie Keeler, Baltimore (N), 1897 44
Bill Dahlen, Chicago (N), 1894 42
George Sisler, St. Louis (A), 1922 41
Ty Cobb, Detroit, 1911 40
Paul Molitor, Milwaukee, 1987 39
Tommy Holmes, Boston (N), 1945 37
Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia, 2005 36
Chase Utley, Philadelphia, 2006 35
Luis Castillo, Florida, 2002 35
Ty Cobb, Detroit, 1917 35
Fred Clarke, Louisville, 1895 35
Benito Santiago, San Diego, 1987 34
Dom DiMaggio, Boston (A), 1949 34
George McQuinn, St. Louis (A), 1938 34
George Sisler, St. Louis (A), 1925 34
Heinie Manush, Washington, 1933 33
Rogers Hornsby, St. Louis (N), 1922 33
Hal Chase, New York (A), 1907 33
George Davis, New York (N), 1893 33
Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal, 1999 31
Ken Landreaux, Minnesota, 1980 31
Rico Carty, Atlanta, 1970 31
Willie Davis, Los Angeles, 1969 31
Sam Rice, Washington, 1924 31
Nap Lajoie, Cleveland, 1906 31
Ed Delahanty, Philadelphia, 1899 31
Moises Alou, New York (N), 2007 30
Ryan Zimmerman, Washington, 2009 30
Willy Taveras, Houston, 2006 30
Albert Pujols, St. Louis, 2003 30
Luis Gonzalez, Arizona, 1999 30
Sandy Alomar Jr., Cleveland, 1997 30
Eric Davis, Baltimore, 1997 30
Nomar Garciaparra, Boston, 1997 30
Jerome Walton, Chicago (N), 1989 30
George Brett, Kansas City, 1980 30
Ron LeFlore, Detroit, 1976 30
Stan Musial, St. Louis (N), 1950 30
Goose Goslin, Detroit, 1934 30
Bing Miller, Phi (A), 1929 30
Tris Speaker, Boston (A), 1912 30
Elmer Smith, Cincinnati, 1898 30
