Reeling Nats swept in Madison Bumgarner's dominating performance

The Nationals were shut out for the third time on their disastrous road trip, this time at the hands of Madison Bumgarner, who surrendered just two hits in the Giants' 5-0 win.

The four-game sweep in San Francisco extends the Nats' losing streak to six games, matching their worst run from April 22-April 27. If you're looking for a silver lining, the Pirates also swept the Mets this weekend, leaving the Washington Nationals 4 1/2 games behind the in the race for first place in the National League East.

But that doesn't seem to matter much after Joe Ross became the third straight Nationals starter to hit the showers before barely breaking a sweat. Pitching in front of a large group of friends and family, the Berkeley, Calif., native appeared ready to go toe-to-toe with Bumgarner early in the game.

The rookie right-hander fanned six of the first nine hitters he faced through three perfect innings. But in the fourth, Gregor Blanco sparked big inning for the Giants with a leadoff single. Two batters later, Brandon Belt roped a double over Jayson Werth's head in left, scoring Blanco.

After Buster Posey grounded out, Hunter Pence thumped a hanging slider into the bleachers in left for a two-out, two-run homer. Brandon Crawford ripped another double before Ross finally escaped the frame.

The fifth inning didn't go any better for Ross with rookie Kelby Tomlinson starting with a base knock. Bumgarner then continued the hit parade, drilling a double to the gap in right-center to plate Tomlinson. Nationals manager Matt Williams saw enough, yanking Ross after he issued a walk to Blanco.

Ross surrendered four runs on six hits, with one walk and six strikeouts, over four-plus innings.

"They just kind of made some adjustments the second time through the lineup," Ross told reporters. "I made a few mistake pitches that they capitalized (on), and things kind of added up in that one inning."

Blake Treinen pitched the Nats out of the jam in the fifth and added another scoreless frame in the sixth.

Bumgarner continued showing off in the seventh, smacking his fourth homer of the year on a solo shot to deep left off Casey Janssen.

That was more than enough offense for the reigning World Series MVP. Bumgarner didn't allow his first hit until Ian Desmond's one-out base knock in the fifth. Overall, the Nats only managed four base runners on three singles and a walk while striking out a whopping 14 times. It was Bumgarner's second consecutive complete game and first shutout of the year.

"Obviously, it's a little more pressure when you've got their ace (going) today," Ross said to reporters. "But you still gotta go out there and pitch and give our guys the best chance to win regardless of who's on the mound for them."

The six-game slide has knocked the Nationals below .500 for the first time since May 6. After the loss, reporters questioned Williams on whether doubt has set in inside the Nationals clubhouse.

"No," Williams quickly responded to reporters. "Not this group. We come to play every day. We have shown in the past that we can run off a few in a row as well.

"I'm feeling fine. Again, we are in the hunt. We have to look at it that way every day and move forward. That's what we do."

The Nationals get a break to regroup Monday before beginning the home stretch of this disappointing road trip in Denver.

"We gotta be better in all aspects," Williams told reporters. "It will be good to get the guys a day off tomorrow and let them get away from the game for a while and come back fresh on Tuesday and go from there."