Giants 3, Nationals 2: Joe Panik and Brandon Belt each delivered an RBI single to continue their solid postseasons while Jake Peavy allowed two hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings as visiting San Francisco seized Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Brandon Crawford, who launched a grand slam in the Giants' 8-0 wild-card victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday, collected three hits while Panik and Belt added two apiece as San Francisco recorded its ninth consecutive playoff win. Buster Posey added an RBI single while Hunter Pence and Travis Ishikawa each notched a hit and scored a run.

Bryce Harper crushed a mammoth homer into the third deck in right field to lead off the seventh inning and Asdrubal Cabrera belted a solo shot two batters later for the Nationals, who host Game 2 on Saturday. After missing the 2012 postseason to rest his surgically repaired right elbow, Stephen Strasburg (0-1) allowed two runs - one earned - and eight hits over five-plus innings in his playoff debut.

Ishikawa singled to center field off Strasburg to lead off the third inning and was awarded second base after San Francisco correctly challenged a close play on Peavy's sacrifice. Ishikawa moved to third on a passed ball and scored when Panik slapped a 2-1 changeup into center.

The Giants doubled their advantage in the fourth on Belt's single to right field and claimed a 3-0 lead in the seventh as Panik led off with a triple before coming home on Posey's single up the middle. Peavy (1-0) struck out three before rookie Hunter Strickland served up a pair of towering homers, but Santiago Casilla retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Panik, who went 3-for-5 versus the Pirates, is 15-for-37 during his eight-game hitting streak while Belt recorded two hits and drove in three runs Wednesday and is 10-for-19 in his last six contests. ... San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval singled in the fourth inning to extend his postseason hitting streak to 12 games. The last time Sandoval did not record a hit in a playoff contest was Game 1 of the NLCS against St. Louis on Oct. 14, 2012. ... Harper's blast traveled 445 feet, the longest homer of his career.