Hits piling up on chilly night in San Francisco (Nats win 6-3)

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals made Jeff Samardzija work. And they inflicted some damage against the Giants right-hander. But they also squandered more than a few opportunities to expand their lead and now find themselves in a tight ballgame.

Despite racking up nine hits and forcing Samardzija to throw 100 pitches in four innings, the Nationals scored only three runs in tonight's second game of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy delivered back-to-back, two-out RBI hits in the top of the first to put the Nats up 2-0. And Gio Gonzalez delivered a one-out RBI single in the top of the second to extend the lead to 3-0.

But after loading the bases later in the second, the Nationals couldn't add on. Samardzija struck out both Bryce Harper and Zimmerman with the bases loaded, getting Harper looking at a 3-2 cutter on the outside corner.

The Nationals also wasted Murphy's leadoff double in the third, with both Anthony Rendon and Michael A. Taylor striking out. Jayson Werth's two-out triple - his first in two years - in the top of the fourth went for naught when Harper again struck out looking at a borderline 3-2 pitch on the outside corner.

His pitch count already at 100, Samardzija was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth.

His counterpart, Gonzalez, has been far more efficient, though only slightly less effective. Gonzalez made it through his first four innings on 60 pitches, but served up one costly hit with men in scoring position.

Orlando Calixte, who earlier recorded his first major league hit, delivered a two-out, two-run double to left in the bottom of the second to put the Giants on the board and trim the Nationals' lead to 3-2.

Update: The Nationals delivered some big hits in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 6-2. But they still probably feel like they could be up 13-2 at this point, given how many opportunities they've wasted. Taylor's two-out bases-loaded single up the middle brought home two runs. Werth then "drove" in another run when Bryan Morris walked him with the bases full. But despite making solid contact for the first time tonight, Harper still left them stranded with a flyout to deep center. Remarkably, that was the Nats' sixth at-bat in five innings tonight with the bases loaded. They'll take the 6-2 lead. But they also know they should have put this game away by now.

Update II: It's 6-3 after seven innings. Gonzalez took the mound to begin the inning but then was pulled after two batters - oddly not by Dusty Baker but by Mike Maddux - as Matt Albers entered from the bullpen. Albers allowed an RBI single to Buster Posey but then induced a couple of popups to end the inning and keep the Nationals' lead at three runs heading to the eighth.

Update III: That's your ballgame. Nats win 6-3 behind some strong bullpen work. Albers recorded five outs, three of them via strikeout. Koda Glover then pitched the ninth for his fourth save in five days and seventh overall in as many tries since being given a crack at the closer's job. The Nationals are 32-19 and tomorrow night will be seeking a series sweep to begin this West Coast trip.