Gio, Rendon Lead Nationals to 5-0 Win Over Marlins

Mandatory Credit:

-USA TODAY Sports

Led by a strong pitching performance from Gio Gonzalez and timely offense from Anthony Rendon, the Washington Nationals defeated the Miami Marlins Tuesday night by a score of 5-0. The Nationals are now 5-2 on the season and are in first place in the division, which we all now is very important on April 8.

Gonzalez followed up last week’s strong season debut with an even more dominant performance against the Marlins. The left-hander pitched six scoreless innings while allowing just three hits, earning his second win of the season. As good as Gonzalez was, he had plenty of support from a Nationals offense that scored as many runs today as it did in the entire series against the Braves last weekend.

The Nationals’ offense gave Gonzalez the lead early on when an RBI single by Adam LaRoche in the bottom of the first inning made it a 1-0 game. It would remain a one-run game until the bottom of the sixth, when Bryce Harper scored on an error by Marlins second baseman Jeff Baker. Washington made it a three-run game later in the inning thanks to an RBI single off the bat of Rendon.

But the Nationals weren’t done causing damage with the bat, and neither was Rendon. With two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the eighth inning, Rendon drilled a two-run double to left field, just barely missing a three-run homer.

Nationals relievers Drew Storen, Jerry Blevins, Tyler Clippard and Aaron Barrett kept the Marlins’ bats quiet the rest of the day and the Nationals took this one, 5-0.