SAN FRANCISCO -- When he’s on his game, MacKenzie Gore has the stuff of a true staff ace on the mound.

But the Nationals left-hander entered Sunday’s finale against the Giants in a second-half freefall, 0-4 with a 13.21 ERA in his previous four starts.

Seeking a bounce-back from an especially tough outing on Tuesday at Nationals Park – allowing 12 hits and eight earned runs to the Athletics in three innings, with zero strikeouts – Gore rebounded in grand fashion in the Nats’ 8-0 victory , securing a series win for the Nationals with six scoreless innings.

Reflective of how in control Gore was on the day, his 10 strikeouts were his first double-digit strikeout performance since April 19 in Colorado, and secured his 10th career start with at least 10 strikeouts. His 10.77 K/9 rate is

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