Curtis Mead homers, Andrew Alvarez shines in relief as Nationals blank Giants 3-0 to avoid sweep

Curtis Mead hit a two-run home run, and Andrew Alvarez delivered a strong performance in relief as the Washington Nationals defeated the San Francisco Giants 3-0 on Sunday in Washington, D.C.. This win stopped the Giants from completing a series sweep.

Alvarez, who was called up earlier that day from Triple-A Rochester, pitched 4 1/3 innings. He allowed only three hits, struck out five batters, and did not give any walks. Keibert Ruiz also helped the team by hitting a double that brought in a run, along with a single.

This was an important win for Washington, as it was their first shutout since September 1, 2025, when they beat Miami. On the other hand, this was the fourth time this season that the Giants failed to score any runs.

Miles Mikolas entered the game in the first inning and pitched four innings. He gave up four hits, struck out four batters, and walked one. His earned run average (ERA) improved from 11.49 to 9.15 after this game.

For the Giants, Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert each managed two hits. The team was hoping to achieve their first four-game winning streak under new manager Tony Vitello, but the loss stopped that run.

The Giants struggled to score, going 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 players on base. Robbie Ray pitched six innings for San Francisco, giving up three runs on seven hits. He also struck out seven batters and walked one.

Washington scored all three of their runs in the fifth inning. Nasim Nuñez reached base with a bunt and then stole second base. Ruiz hit the ball to left-center field, where Heliot Ramos could not make the catch, allowing Nuñez to score. Soon after, Mead hit a two-run home run on the first pitch.

Luis Arraez of the Giants had a rare off game, going 0 for 4. This was his first time not getting a hit in 14 games played at Nationals Park.

Looking ahead, the Giants will play against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Nationals will face the Atlanta Braves on Monday in the first game of a four-game series.