Nationals vs. Giants: Game 3 Score and Twitter Reaction from 2014 MLB Playoffs

The Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants managed to keep their Monday matinee to nine innings in Game 3 of the National League Division Series after they went 18 frames in Game 2. The Nationals also avoided the sweep with a 4-1 victory after they scored three critical runs in the seventh inning.

Madison Bumgarner pitched an excellent first six innings for the Giants, but his error off a sacrifice bunt attempt in the seventh proved to be the difference in the game. It allowed two runs to score and set the stage for a third, which means San Francisco now only has a narrow 2-1 lead in the series.   

Bumgarner's error should not overshadow the performance of Doug Fister for the Nationals, who earned the victory with seven shutout innings of four-hit baseball.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The story coming into Game 3 was the pitching matchup between the dominant Bumgarner, who got the Giants into the NLDS with a vintage performance in the Wild Card Round against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Fister, who finished the year with a 16-6 record and 2.41 ERA.

As expected, there wasn't a lot of offense early, but the Giants made things interesting in the bottom of the second when they loaded the bases for Bumgarner himself. While he didn't come through, SI MLB pointed out why it was a nerve-wracking situation for the Nationals:

SI MLB also highlighted a small rally from Washington in the third inning that Bumgarner found a way to shut down:

The MLB Twitter account had the best summary of the early innings:

Fans were treated to more of the same through the fifth inning, although Fister did struggle a bit with his control. James Wagner of The Washington Post noted that Fister rarely ever walks anyone, so it was worth pointing out:

Of course, that didn't change the fact the game was scoreless entering the sixth inning. Dan Kolko of MASN started wondering if we were in for another tight contest, while Fox Sports Live thought a repeat of Game 2 was in the cards:

"

We're headed for 20 innings today aren't we. #WASvsSF

— FOX Sports Live (@FOXSportsLive) October 6, 2014"

At least the Nationals got a runner on base before recording an out in the top of the sixth, which was rare against Bumgarner. Jayson Stark of ESPN noted just how unusual it has been in the postseason, while SportsNation pointed out that there wasn't exactly a lot of action early in Game 3: 

Things changed quickly for the Giants in the top of the seventh.

Washington got the first two runners on base to set up a sacrifice bunt situation for Wilson Ramos, which doesn't exactly happen very often, as Jon Morosi of Fox Sports acknowledged:

Ramos managed to put down the bunt, but Bumgarner tried to gun down the lead runner at third. Instead of getting the out, he threw the ball into left field and changed the outlook of the whole series.

SportsCenter described the play, while Fox Sports Live and Phil Taylor of Sports Illustrated commented on the proceedings:

"

Bumgarner. #YaBlewIt. #Nats take a 2-0 lead over the #SFGiants on the error.

— FOX Sports Live (@FOXSportsLive) October 6, 2014"

Jesse Spector of Sporting News pointed out that the play was rather unusual:

MLB Network had the highlight:

Washington tacked on another run to stretch the lead to 3-0 when Asdrubal Cabrera drove Ramos home with a single.

San Francisco tried to counter with a rally of its own in the bottom of the seventh, but Bryce Harper had other things in mind. With a runner on second and one out, he made an outstanding catch that prevented at least one run from coming to the plate that inning. MLB Fan Cave captured the moment:

While the Giants tried to battle back in the late innings, Bumgarner's error overshadowed the fact that he put together an incredible streak:

The Giants never threatened in the eighth inning, and Morosi pointed out that the game was business as usual for Mr. Fister:

Clearly, the Nationals were not content with just three runs. Harper drilled a home run in the top of the ninth that nearly reached McCovey Cove beyond the right-field seats to extend the lead to 4-0. Fox Sports Live and MLB Fan Cave commented on the blast:

"

Harper homers and the Nats go up 4-0. #Postseason pic.twitter.com/85IML9UYYH

— FOX Sports Live (@FOXSportsLive) October 6, 2014"

Baseball Reference noted that the home run put Harper among some historic company:

The Giants would not go quietly in the bottom of the ninth and put the first two runners on base. ESPN's Colin Cowherd and SI MLB chimed in:

"

SF Giants trail 4-0 in 9th. Just opened w two hits. Here we go.

— Colin Cowherd (@ESPN_Colin) October 6, 2014"

However, Drew Storen settled down and retired the next three batters. Only one run scored off a sacrifice fly, which means it is time to turn our attention toward Game 4.

What's Next?

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Thus far, the road team is a perfect 3-0 in this series, and the Nationals will look to keep that pattern rolling Tuesday in Game 4.

It may seem natural to pick Washington in the next contest because it beat San Francisco's ace in Bumgarner on Monday, but Giants pitcher Tim Hudson commented on his team's ability to overcome the odds after Game 2, according to The Associated Press, via ESPN.com:

"

That's how we do it. On paper, it might not be the flashiest thing, compared to a lot of teams. But I like this group against anybody in baseball. Who'd have thought we'd have came here and won the first two? Everybody in America probably didn't think we had a shot. But everybody in this locker room knew that we did.

"

The Nationals will likely send Gio Gonzalez to the mound against San Francisco's Ryan Vogelsong. Interestingly, Gonzalez sports a 2.77 ERA in his career at AT&T Park, so there is a very realistic chance that this series will go back to Washington for Game 5.

That would certainly be a treat for baseball fans.

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