WASHINGTON (AP) - Jason Marquis pitched a five-hitter to beat Tim Lincecum, and reserve outfielder Laynce Nix made the most of a are start by connecting for a two-run homer that carried the Washington Nationals to a 3-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.

Continue reading

Marquis (3-0) struck out seven and walked none in his fourth major league shutout and first since 2009 with Colorado. Always a dangerous hitter, he helped his own cause with an RBI single and is batting .385.

After signing a $15 million, two-year contract, Marquis was a bust last year in his first season with Washington. Limited to 13 starts because of an arm injury, he went 2-9 with a 6.60 ERA. This season has been much better. The right-hander threw 96 pitches in his seventh career complete game, dispatching the Giants in a game that took only 2 hours, 9 minutes.

Lincecum (2-3) had seven strikeouts in seven innings to take over the major league lead, but dropped his second consecutive decision. The punchless Giants, blanked for the second time in three games, have lost six of their last eight.

Making his sixth start of the season, Nix drove a 1-2 breaking ball to right in the second inning for his third homer. It was the second one Lincecum has allowed this year.

Nix's shot also drove in Wilson Ramos, who was on second with a double thanks to a misplayed fly ball by the Giants. Center fielder Aaron Rowand appeared to have a bead on Ramos' tailing drive, but right fielder Cody Ross collided with him and the ball popped out of Rowand's glove.

In the next inning, Ross led off with a sharp single down the third base line, but was thrown out by a large margin by Nix - the left fielder's first assist of the season.

Ian Desmond led off the fifth inning with a single - one of his three hits on the night - and Marquis, one of the NL's best hitting pitchers, tomahawked a fastball that was nearly over his head into right, driving in Desmond to give Washington a 3-0 lead.