WASHINGTON -- Howie Kendrick wasn't making every statement a declarative one late Sunday night.

"I think they have accepted me," Kendrick, with a smile, said of his teammates.

They certainly have now, as the outfielder hit a walk-off grand slam with no outs in the 11th inning Sunday night as the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants 6-2, earning a split of a day-night doubleheader.

Kendrick, who came to Washington from the Philadelphia Phillies in late July, was sure of one thing.

"I am not going to lie: It was my first grand slam. To me, it was probably one of the best moments of my career," he said.

In the first game, Joe Panik went 3-for-4 with a walk and drove in two runs, and Chris Stratton got his first major league win as a starter as San Francisco beat the Nationals 4-2.

"I saw the ball well. That is all you can hope for," Panik said.

Stratton (1-2), making his third career start and 12th appearance, pitched scoreless ball for a career-best 6 2/3 innings. He struck out a career-high 10 batters while issuing just one walk.

"You have to be ready for whatever," said Stratton, who made his first appearance since Aug. 5. "You have to stay locked in. I thought we attacked the zone very well today."

The 2012 first-round pick from Mississippi was 1-0 in seven games out of the bullpen as a rookie in 2016.

"He had good command of all of his pitches," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It was a really good day for him. He certainly executed today."

In the second game, Daniel Murphy (two hits) singled off Albert Suarez to begin the 11th, took third on a bloop single by Ryan Zimmerman (three hits).

"That was outstanding baserunning by Daniel Murphy," Washington manager Dusty Baker said.

An intentional walk to Anthony Rendon loaded the bases.

Kendrick's blast to left on a 2-2 pitch from Suarez (0-2) ended the game.

"You really don't want to face him," Baker said of Kendrick, who had two hits in the nightcap. "He is great with two outs. The guys on the team love him. He is strong enough to hit the ball out. He has a great attitude."

The winning pitcher was Matt Albers (6-2), who pitched two scoreless innings.

In the top of the seventh in the second game, the Giants' Pablo Sandoval hit a long homer to right off Max Scherzer to tie the game at 2-2.

It was Sandoval's first homer since rejoining San Francisco after he spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

Zimmerman lined a solo homer into the bullpen in left to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead in the sixth.

Zimmerman, who is second in Montreal/Washington franchise history in hits, smashed his 27th homer against Giants starter Matt Moore with two outs. Moore gave up two runs in seven innings with nine strikeouts. He has not won a game since June 20 at Atlanta.

Scherzer allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings and fanned 10 before Brandon Kintzler pitched a perfect eighth. Scherzer, who threw 107 pitches, has fanned 10 batters or more 13 times this year and 62 times in his career.

"A lot of baseball here in the last two days for us, or the last 24 hours," Scherzer said.

Denard Span, a former Nationals outfielder, was 2-for-5 for the Giants in the nightcap while Panik was 2-for-4.

The first-place Nationals (70-46) are 5-1 this year against the last-place Giants (47-72), who are 20-40 on the road. The Nationals have not lost at home in a game started by Scherzer since June 11 against the Texas Rangers.

Murphy hit a solo homer to left off Moore in the third inning to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead.

The Giants tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth as Span had an infield single and scored on a single by Hunter Pence against Scherzer. Center field Michael A. Taylor, activated earlier Sunday from a minor league rehab stint, threw out Panik at the plate on the play to keep the game tied.

"It was a long day. It would have really been long had we lost. It is nice to him back," Baker said of Taylor.

NOTES: Washington RF Bryce Harper (hyperextended left knee) went on the 10-day disabled list Sunday and OF Michael A. Taylor was activated after missing more than a month with a right oblique strain. Harper was injured while running out a groundball Saturday, but he may not be lost for the season. "We dodged a bullet," Washington GM Mike Rizzo said. ... The Giants called up INF Orlando Calixte from Triple-A Sacramento as the 26th man for the day-night doubleheader. The Nationals called on C Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse for the same role. ... San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy and Washington manager Dusty Baker each have 1,836 career wins. ... Giants LHP Ty Blach (8-7, 4.15 ERA) will face Marlins LHP Adam Conley (4-5, 5.43 ERA) on Monday in Miami. ... Washington is off Monday before beginning a series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.