Pablo Sandoval hits 3-run homer with 2 outs in 9th to lift Giants to 9-7 win over Nationals

Sandoval’s homer in 9th lifts Giants over Nats 9-7

SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Zimmerman’s hitting streak is stretching into its second month, but Washington’s third baseman can’t enjoy it much. The Nationals have the majors’ worst record and a bullpen that makes far too many hitters look as good as Zimmerman himself.

Pablo Sandoval slugged a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth, dramatically finishing the San Francisco Giants’ 9-7 victory over Washington on Tuesday night with the first game-ending shot of his life.

Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 30 games with two singles for the hard-luck Nationals, who have lost nine straight to the Giants — none tougher than this defeat after Washington scored six runs in the late innings.

San Francisco blew a 5-1 lead when Nick Johnson hit a three-run homer in the seventh and drove in two more runs with a weak single in the eighth. But after Bengie Molina hit an eighth-inning homer off Kip Wells, the Giants rallied in the ninth against Joe Beimel (0-2).

“Our starting pitchers are the youngest part of our team, and they’ve done well,” Zimmerman said. “Unfortunately, the guys that are pitching the second half of the game haven’t been able to get it done this year, and that’s been the story of our season so far.”

Emmanuel Burriss singled and Edgar Renteria drew a walk before Sandoval cracked a 2-2 pitch into left for his third homer of the season, setting off a frenzied celebration at home plate for the Giants’ 15th win in 21 games, pushing them four games above .500 for the first time in nearly three years.

“I couldn’t believe that happened for me,” said Sandoval, the 22-year-old Venezuelan free swinger who uncharacteristically took four pitches before his homer. “In this moment, I’m just going to get my pitch and drive the ball. I don’t want to tie the game. I just want to end it.”

Zimmerman matched the fourth-longest hitting streak in the majors since 2000. He has the first 30-game streak since Moises Alou did it in late 2007, and the 26th streak of at least 30 games since Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game record in 1941.

Washington’s third baseman also is one game shy of the franchise-record 31-game streak by Vladimir Guerrero in 1999 — when the team was in Montreal.

At Philadelphia, Chan Ho Park won his first game with the Phillies, and Jayson Werth stole home and tied a team record with four steals in one game.

Park (1-1) walked none and gave up two runs in six innings.

Clayton Kershaw (1-3) started for the Dodgers, who fell to 1-4 without suspended slugger Manny Ramirez.

At Pittsburgh, Zach Duke (4-3) limited St. Louis to three singles over eight innings after giving up a homer to Albert Pujols in the first and the Pirates ended an eight-game skid.

Adam LaRoche and Brandon Moss both broke out of slumps with homers for the Pirates.

At New York, Carlos Beltran drew a bases-loaded walk from Jeff Bennett (0-1) with two outs in the 10th inning as the Mets rallied for their eighth win in nine games.

Beltran also scored the tying run in the ninth for the Mets, who were down 3-0 in the eighth before winning their first in 12 games when trailing after seven innings.

Francisco Rodriguez (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for the win.

At Milwaukee, Prince Fielder hit a pair of two-run homers and Rickie Weeks and Mike Cameron hit solo shots for the Brewers.

Milwaukee has won seven of its last nine and is five games over .500 since a 4-9 start.

Weeks tied it with his homer in the fifth and, after Corey Hart singled, Fielder hit a towering shot off Koronka (0-1) for his seventh this season to give Milwaukee a 5-3 lead.

Manny Parra (2-4) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings and Trevor Hoffman picked up his sixth save.

At Chicago, Milton Bradley hit a two-run homer off Jake Peavy and Rich Harden pitched six sharp innings for the Cubs.

Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome both had two doubles and three hits, Bobby Scales added his first major league home run and Harden (4-1) won his fourth straight decision.

Peavy (2-5) is the last Padres starter to get a win, on April 16. San Diego has lost nine straight road games, and four in a row overall.

At Denver, Ian Stewart hit a grand slam and a solo homer and Ubaldo Jimenez pitched seven sharp innings for Colorado.

Brad Hawpe had four hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in a career-high five runs.

Jimenez (3-4) scattered seven hits and gave up one run.

Ivan Rodriguez had an RBI single in the seventh for Houston.

Astros starter Felipe Paulino (1-3) gave up eight runs — seven earned — and seven hits in four innings.

At Phoenix, Brandon Phillips homered and drove in two runs for Cincinnati, and Micah Owings dominated his former team.

Owings (3-3), traded by Arizona last September, went seven innings and allowed one run and a season-low four hits.

Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his 10th save in as many chances.

Dan Haren (3-4) went seven innings and allowed three runs and six hits for Arizona, which fell to 1-4 since A.J. Hinch replaced Bob Melvin as manager last week.