"The Giants in the post-Buster Posey portion of 2011 need to do more to compensate for the loss of their catcher and cleanup hitter, and Wednesday's 3-1 victory over the Nationals was a perfect illustration.

It could mean a starting pitcher throwing a complete game and socking his first extra-base hit in 11 months. Take a bow, Matt Cain.

It could mean a shortstop out of nowhere emerging to make key plays and bang out key hits. Hello, Brandon Crawford.

And it could mean a former backup catcher figuring out how to hit. There you are, Eli Whiteside.

The Giants had all of that to take the deciding game of a three-game series against the Nats. Cain threw a five-hitter and struck out 11. Whiteside called all the right pitches and had two rally-contributing hits. Crawford also had two hits and robbed Wilson Ramos of an up-the-middle RBI single to stall Washington's only rally.

For what it's worth, the Giants are 8-6 since Posey's season-ending collision at the plate.

"You don't find many guys who are capable of doing the things Buster does," Cain said. "Having Eli in there, all of us are just as happy and comfortable with him calling a game.

"It's definitely tough. We're going to miss Buster bad. But Eli will come through. He takes pride in getting his work in. He wants to be able to get things done, whether it's getting a guy over or getting the hit to get a guy in."

Whiteside was hitting .161 before doubling in the sixth inning, snapping a 13 at-bat hitless funk. He scored on Cain's double and singled in his next at-bat, driving home Crawford, who hit an RBI triple. Suddenly, Whiteside's at .190."