Curt Casali hit a two-run homer to replace All-Star receiver Buster Posey, Darin Ruf included a last-minute home run for the lead and the San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.
Venezuelan Wilmer Flores also homered in the game in which the Giants debuted their all-white City Connect home uniforms with images of the Golden Gate Bridge on each sleeve.
Posey is outcast due to a bruise on his thumb that will prevent him from participating in the All-Star Game next week. In place of Posey, Casali hit his third homer of the season for the leaders of the NL West.
Washington has lost seven of nine meetings.
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Ruf singled in the first inning off Panamanian Paolo Espino before hitting his ninth homer off Sam Clay (0-3) in the fifth for 4-3.
Dominican Jarlin García (1-0) worked the fifth inning and won. Jake McGee, the Giants’ seventh reliever, escaped a predicament in the ninth inning and posted his 18th save.
For the Nationals, Venezuelans Alcides Escobar 4-0 and Gerardo Parra 3-1, an RBI. The Dominicans Juan Soto 4-1, one scored, and Starlin Castro 3-2. Panamanian Paolo Espino 2-1. The Cuban Yadiel Hernández 1-1.
For the Giants, the Venezuelans Wilmer Flores 4-1, one scored, one RBI, and Thairo Estrada 1-1. Colombian Donovan Solano 4-1, one scored.
AP
