Capital gain: Hockey team stimulates Nats

Stanley Cup pays visit in win over Giants

WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals showed off their newly won Stanley Cup as part of a pregame ceremony Saturday before the Nationals met the San Francisco Giants.

Bryce Harper has his mind on bringing another piece of hardware to Washington by the end of the year.

“I think a World Series trophy would be pretty cool, too,” the Nationals right fielder said.

The Las Vegas native hit his National League-leading 19th homer of the season in Washington’s 7-5 victory. Harper’s 437-foot blast to right-center came off reliever Ty Blach in the fourth inning.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin threw out the first pitch — twice. Ovechkin sent his first pitch high above Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer before delivering a strike after asking for a do-over.

Adam Eaton scored two runs in his return from the disabled list for the Nationals.

Eaton, activated from the 60-day DL after missing 52 games with a left ankle bone bruise, was hit by a pitch to lead off the first. He scored on Anthony Rendon’s one-out single. An inning later, he scored as part of a four-run rally to make it 5-0.

“Got to third base in my second at-bat, and (coach Bobby Henley) asked how I felt, and I said ‘I’m about round six with Mike Tyson.’ I was so tired,” Eaton said. “I’m so out of shape.”

San Francisco starter Dereck Rodriguez (1-1), the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez, allowed five runs in 2⅔ innings after allowing a run in six innings in his first major league start Sunday.

Giants catcher Nick Hundley hit a three-run homer into the San Francisco bullpen off Washington starter Gio Gonzalez in the third.

The Giants then loaded the bases with one out an inning later to chase Gonzalez but managed only one run on Andrew McCutchen’s sacrifice fly.

Justin Miller (3-0) retired all five batters he faced after replacing Gonzalez. Fellow reliever Brandon Kintzler, a Palo Verde product, left with a tight forearm after facing three batters in the eighth inning and will undergo an MRI examination Sunday.

He was replaced by Sean Doolittle, who earned his 16th save in 17 chances.

Alex Brandon The Associated Press Bryce Harper connects for his National League-best 19th home run, a 437-foot solo shot in the fourth inning of the host Nationals’ 7-5 win over the Giants on Saturday.