Fister has pitched well against Bumgarner in big games

Yes, the Giants hold a two games to none lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series. Yes, they're returning home and ace lefty Mardison Bumgarner is on the hill for Game 3 today. But Nationals right-hander Doug Fister has pitched well against Bumgarner in the past.

June 10, 2014. Nationals at Giants: Fister defeated left-hander Madison Bumgarner 2-1. The weather was 59 degrees and the wind was coming in from center field at 16 mph, according to Baseball Reference.

The Nationals scored all their runs in the top of the fifth:

* Ian Desmond line drive single to center field.
* Danny Espinosa line drive single to center field.
* Fister bunt pop fly, one out.
* Denard Span lineout to left field, sacrifice fly. Desmond scores, and the Nats lead 1-0.
* Anthony Rendon line drive to left field. Espinosa to second.
* Jayson Werth single to left field, Espinosa scores, and the Nats lead 2-0. Rendon out at third.

Heading to the bottom of the fifth, the Nationals led 2-0. Rafael Soriano allowed a run in the ninth, but the Nationals held on for a 2-1 win.

Fister did not allow a run. He did give up hits, eight of them, but only one for extra bases, a double from Pablo Sandoval. He walked just one batter and struck out three.

The Nationals won three of four against the Giants during that early June series.

October 25, 2012. World Series Game 2: It was Fister against Bumgarner. San Francisco edged Detroit 2-0.

Fister tossed six scoreless innings and faced one batter in the seventh. Hunter Pence led off the seventh with a single and the Giants pulled Fister. The Giants eventually scored a run in that frame on a double play grounder off Drew Smyly.

Prior to that, Fister had allowed three hits, walked one and struck out three.

So he has shown that he can go toe-to-toe with Bumgarner.

Now the Nationals offense must pick and choose their spots against Bumgarner. They have to be more patient than they were in some parts of Game 2. The approach they took against Bumgarner in San Francisco in June can help today, and they have to clear their minds and not worry about the what-ifs. The Nats have proven this year that they can come back from tough situations and need to do it one time today. Earn it today in Game 3, and worry about Tuesday on Tuesday.

"We've been working from Day One with it. It's not something that just happened at the end (of the season)," Fister told radio play-by-play broadcaster Charlie Slowes in September of the Nats' effort to improve. "We've been working for a long time. We have a great clubhouse. We have a great group of guys that want to play for each other. That's what we have. We have a team, we have a family, and that's what will carry us through the playoffs here."