Washington Nationals 2-1 over Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryan Zimmerman breaks up tie with RBI double in the 6th

Gio Gonzalez tied a franchise record for most walks in a single game with seven free passes tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Nationals’ left-hander did not let any of the seven runners score as he limited the D-Backs to one run on three hits in five innings of work in what ended up a 2-1 win in Washington, D.C.

The only run Gonzalez gave up scored on a solo shot to left by Chris Owings with one out in the first, and Gonzalez tied it up at 1-1 with an RBI groundout to bring Michael A. Taylor in after a leadoff triple in the home-half of the third.

It stayed tie until the sixth, when Bryce Harper singled and scored on a well-struck liner to center off Ryan Zimmerman’s bat, 2-1.

Jacob Turner tossed four scoreless in relief after taking over for Gonzalez in the sixth, retiring eleven straight batters after giving up a single to the first batter he faced.

He worked around a two-out double in the ninth to end it.

Final Score: 2-1 Nats.

Nationals now 18-9

Here’s how it happened:

• Gio Gonzalez gave up a long home run early on a 2-1 fastball to D-Backs’ right fielder Chris Owings, who hit a no-doubter to left for a 1-0 lead in the second of three in D.C.

• Robbie Ray, a 2010 12th Round pick by the Nationals, struck out the first five hitters he faced tonight before Anthony Rendon snapped the streak... with a groundout that ended the D-Backs’ lefty’s second scoreless frame.

• Michael A. Taylor hit a first-pitch fastball right at Yasmany Tomas in left field and the D-Backs’ outfielder lost it in the lights and fell to the grass as it rolled to the wall with MAT speeding around the bases for a leadoff triple in the second. One out later, Taylor scored from third on a groundout to short by Gio Gonzalez, 1-1.

• Gio Gonzalez’s third walk of the fifth, and seventh walk of the night, loaded the bases with D-Backs with two out in the inning, but Brandon Drury went down swinging at a 1-2 curve to end the threat and leave Gonzalez at 105 pitches overall on the night.

• Gio Gonzalez’s Line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 8 Ks, 1 HR, 105 P, 58 S, 3/2 GO/FO.

• Jacob Turner took over on the mound for the Nationals in the sixth, working around a leadoff single in an 11-pitch frame.

• Bryce Harper singled with two out in the Nationals’ sixth, lining an 0-2 slider to right-center off Ray. Ryan Zimmerman lined a 2-2 slider to center in the next at bat, driving Harper in for a 2-1 lead. Zimmerman’s 10th double of 2016.

• Robbie Ray’s Line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 Ks, 101 P, 66 S, 3/2 GO/FO.

• Jacob Turner was up to 28 pitches after two scoreless and Dusty Baker sent him back out for the eighth with the Nationals up a run. Turner retired the side in order for nine straight outs after a leadoff single in his first at bat in the sixth.

• Turner came back out for the ninth and worked around a two-out double. Ballgame.

Nationals now 18-9

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• Washington holds a 47-33 advantage over Arizona in the all-time series between the two teams, and the Nationals are 23-11 against the Diamondbacks since 2012.
• Ryan Zimmerman earned the NL Player of the Month award for April, and he entered play tonight leading the majors in AVG (.419), SLG (.871), RBIs (29), OPS (1.326), hits (39) and extra base hits (20).
• Trea Turner started the night with a streak of 11-straight games in which he’s reached base, over which he’s 18 for 48 (.375 AVG) with a .423 OBP and a .688 SLG.
• Washington’s offense led the majors in runs scored (173), hits (272), doubles (61), AVG (.292), OBP (.368), and SLG (.503) before the start of play tonight.
• Gio Gonzalez started the night (2-1) with a 3.44 ERA in six career starts vs the D-Backs.
• Paul Goldschmidt started the night 8 for 12 (.667 AVG) vs Gonzalez in their respective careers.
• The Diamondbacks’ .607 winning% before tonight was the second-best in the National League, behind only the Nationals’ .654 winning%.
• The D-Backs haven’t won a series with the Nationals in the nation’s capital since 2011.

Nationals now 18-9