Washington's closer-by-committee approach continues to fail when called upon. It doesn't matter whether manager Manny Acta hands the ball to Beimel, Joel Hanrahan, Julian Tavarez or Kip Wells. The result has too often been defeat.

"We have tried everybody and their cousins, and we still can't get anybody to put a zero up in the eighth and the ninth innings," Acta said. "And that's really just killing us."

Nationals relievers have blown an astounding 10 of 15 save opportunities this season, negating a lineup that is producing at levels not seen since the franchise arrived in Washington and spoiling some decent efforts from a young rotation.

"It's very discouraging to waste the type of offense that we're displaying out there for a month and a half now," said Acta, whose team has lost three consecutive games despite scoring seven or more runs each time. "We still don't have much to show for it."

GIANTS 9, NATIONALS 7: Pablo Sandoval's three-run homer off Joe Beimel with two outs in the ninth capped another Washington bullpen meltdown. The Nationals had taken a 7-5 lead thanks to two big hits and five RBIs from Nick Johnson. But Kip Wells served up a homer to Bengie Molina in the eighth, and Beimel left a fat sinker over the plate to Sandoval in the ninth to finish off the Nationals' 10th blown save in 15 chances this season. Ryan Zimmerman did go 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 30 games.