|
 Gonzalez pitched six scoreless innings and third baseman Anthony
Rendon had two hits and three RBIs for the Nationals, while
shortstop Ian Desmond and Rendon made nice fielding plays.
"The defense is incredible," said Gonzalez, who gave up just three
hits with five strikeouts. "I have a great group of guys behind me."
Desmond made a nice running play back of second to retire shortstop
Adeiny Hechavarria on a grounder in the fifth, and then Rendon made
a bare-hand play on a grounder down the third-base line to retire
left fielder Reed Johnson with men on first and second in the
seventh.
Gonzalez (2-0) battled the flu last weekend but won his fourth
straight game against his hometown team.
"I felt fine. I felt like I was ready to go," he said. "I just
attacked the zone. Once you get ahead of the hitters it is a
different deal. I was trying to find my spot, little by little."
There was more bad news for the Marlins, as manager Mike Redmond
said after the game that right-handed pitcher Jacob Turner got hurt
in batting practice and will not be able to start on Wednesday.
Lefty Brad Hand will start in his place.
Washington's bullpen entered the day leading the majors in
baserunners allowed per nine innings, and it improved on that stat.
Jerry Blevins came on in the seventh for Gonzalez and got one out
before Drew Storen recorded two outs. Tyler Clippard pitched a
perfect eighth, and rookie Aaron Barrett tossed a scoreless ninth as
the Nationals combined on a four-hit shutout.
Rendon, starting at third in place of veteran Ryan Zimmerman (sore
shoulder), ripped a two-run double to left-center to make it 5-0 in
the eighth against Marlins reliever Mike Dunn.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the first. First baseman Adam
LaRoche (three hits) lined a sharp single to left to score right
fielder Jayson Werth, who doubled to center with two outs against
Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez.
Washington made it 2-0 in the sixth when left fielder Bryce Harper
scored from third after Marlins second baseman Jeff Baker dropped a
throw from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Saltalamacchia was trying
to throw out LaRoche, who was on first and advanced to second on a
ball in the dirt.
"I got it at the end of my glove. LaRoche hit it and that was it.
Obviously I have to make that play," said Baker, who is from nearby
Woodbridge, Virginia.
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After a walk to shortstop Ian Desmond, Rendon followed with a line
single to center to score LaRoche and make it 3-0 against Alvarez
(0-2). That was the end of the night for Alvarez, who allowed three
runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings in his second start of the year.
"I made some adjustments from the first game," Alvarez said via
interpreter Jeff Urgelles, the team's bullpen coach. "I felt good."
One of the few downers for the Nationals was Harper, whose average
actually rose to .160 after a single in four at bats.
"Him staying on the baseball is important," manager Matt Williams
said of Harper, who fanned against lefty Mike Dunn in the eighth.
NOTES: 3B Ryan Zimmerman fielded grounders more than four hours
before the game. He did not complain of any soreness, but he was not
in the starting lineup after an MRI exam Sunday revealed no
structural damage on his right shoulder. "I will try to do what it
takes to feel better," said Zimmerman, who hopes to be in the
starting lineup Wednesday. ... Marlins LHP Brad Hand (0-0, 0.00)
will face Nationals RHP Jordan Zimmermann (0-0, 1.80) on Wednesday.
... The Marlins signed RHP Micah Owings to a minor league deal.
Owings was a pitcher most of his big league career before trying to
be a hitter the past two years in the minors. The Marlins signed him
as a pitcher ... Washington C Wilson Ramos, who underwent surgery
April 2 to repair a fractured left hamate bone, said he is working
hard to return to action. "I have to be ready when I come back," he
said.
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