Nationals 6, Padres 0
Jordan Zimmermann pitched a complete-game two-hitter and struck out a career high 12 as visiting Washington defeated San Diego.
Danny Espinosa went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Jayson Werth also had three hits for the Nationals, who won for the seventh time in nine games. Ian Desmond went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and Kevin Frandsen also had two hits as the Nationals collected 13 overall while claiming the three-game series.
Zimmermann (5-2) retired the first 16 batters he faced and didn’t walk a batter in the stellar 114-pitch effort while tossing his third career shutout. Zimmermann has allowed no runs and seven hits in 17 innings over his last two starts.
Desmond’s two-run blast to center off Eric Stults (2-7) in the second inning gave the Nationals a 3-0 advantage. Adam LaRoche hit a run-scoring single in the third and Espinosa greeted reliever Tim Stauffer with a two-run single to right to make it a six-run margin.
Alexi Amarista smacked a clean single to right with one out in the sixth for San Diego’s first hit. Seth Smith tripled in the seventh for the Padres’ only other base runner.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Stults was charged with six runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings while dropping his fourth straight decision. … Washington 3B Anthony Rendon (thumb) sat out for the second straight game. … Stauffer struck out six in 3 2/3 innings and the Padres fanned 13 overall.