Espinosa and Harper homer, but Giants win 8-5

So far, so good for Nationals manager Matt Williams' lineup changes.

The reconfigured batting order provided right-hander Max Scherzer a 1-0 lead before he even took the mound tonight at AT&T Park. The Nationals are hoping to break a three-game losing streak and even the series in San Francisco.

Leadoff man Michael A. Taylor drew a walk from Matt Cain and stole second. Yunel Escobar's sacrifice bunt moved Taylor to third and Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly to deep right field got him in, staking the Nats to an early lead.

The lead didn't last long, however. The Giants' second batter, Matt Duffy, homered to left off Scherzer to tie the game.

Update: The Nats wasted a scoring opportunity in the second after Clint Robinson led off with a double and moved to third on Ian Desmond's swinging bunt for a groundout. Danny Espinosa hit a grounder to short and Robinson, running on contact, was easily cut down at the plate for the second out.

The Mets lost 3-2 to the Pirates in 10 innings, so a Nationals win would pick up a game on the first-place Mets and cut their lead in the National League East to 3 1/2 games.

Update II: Back-to-back doubles by Brandon Crawford and Justin Maxwell broke the tie and put the Giants ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the inning. Scherzer then hit Ehire Adrianza and a successful sac bunt by Cain put runners on second and third with one out. Gregor Blanco cleared the bases with a two-run double down the first base line and Duffy's double to center made it 5-1.

Doug Fister trotted to the bullpen to warm up in the bottom of the second, but Scherzer hit for himself in the top of the third.

Update III: Hunter Pence clubbed Scherzer's first pitch of third over the fence in center for a solo homer and a 6-1 lead.

Scherzer's night is done after three innings. He allowed six runs on seven hits in three innings, his shortest outing of the season, and threw 58 pitches, 40 for strikes. It's his shortest outing since Sept. 18, 2012 for the Tigers, when he went two innings against Oakland.

Doug Fister is on to work the fourth.

Update IV: Espinosa homered leading off the fifth to cut the Giants' lead to 6-2. It's his 11th of the season. And it wasn't the Nats' only blast of the fifth.

Jose Lobaton doubled and Fister's single put runners at the corners. After Taylor fanned and Escobar's flyout moved Fister to second, Harper crushed a mammoth homer to right, the three-run shot getting the Nats within 6-5. It's Harper's 30th homer of the season.

Update V: In the Giants sixth against Matt Thornton, Blanco hit a one-out double and stole third before Duffy walked. Brandon Belt grounded to Ryan Zimmerman, who stepped on first for an out, but then threw home too late to get Blanco. The Giants lead 7-5 with Blake Treinen on to pitch.

Update VI: With Jonathan Papelbon pitching in the eighth, and runners on the corners with none out, Duffy hit a sac fly to center to increase the Giants' lead to 8-5.

Update VII: It's an 8-5 final, and the Nats' losing streak is at four games.