Washington Nationals 2-1 over San Diego Padres on Ryan Zimmerman’s 8th inning opposite field blast...

Edwin Jackson held the San Diego Padres to one run on eight hits over an efficient seven innings in Petco Park, throwing just 83 pitches.

It was tied up at 1-1 after the Washington Nationals’ right-hander worked around a one-out walk (his first and only free pass) in the home-half of the seventh inning.

Ryan Zimmerman came through with a big blast in the Nationals’ half of the eighth, taking reliever Kirby Yates deep for an opposite field blast (No. 29 of 2017), that put the Nats up for good in what ended up a 2-1 win.

Brandon Kintzler handled the eighth for the visiting Nationals, working around a two-out hit-by-pitch, and Sean Doolittle earned his 10th save in 10 opportunities with the Nationals, 2-1 final.

Nationals now 72-47

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Howie Kendrick walked in the first at bat of tonight’s game, but was stranded at third three outs later. Kendrick doubled to left the second time up, moved to third on a sac bunt by Wilmer Difo, and scored on a bases-loaded sac fly by Adam Lind, 1-0, but the Nationals left the bases loaded in the third, leaving them 0 for 4 with RISP and six left on base through three innings, though they made Jhoulys Chacin throw 69 pitches.

• The lead didn’t last long as Manuel Margot doubled to left with one out in the Padres’ half of the third, and scored one out later on a two-out RBI single to center off Edwin Jackson by Jose Pirela, 1-1.

• Manuel Margot (2 for 3) and Carlos Asuaje hit back-to-back one-out singles off E-Jax in the Padres’ half of the fifth, but a 6-4-3 DP off Jose Pirela’s bat ended an eight-pitch frame that left Jackson at 58 after five.

• Old friend Craig Stammen took over for Chacin after Adam Lind drew a leadoff walk on the Padres’ starter’s 104th pitch of the game, and got a liner to left from Anthony Rendon for the first out of the frame, and a 4-6-3 DP to end the inning.

• Jhoulys Chacin’s Line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 Ks, 104 P, 63 S, 4/3 GO/FO.

• Edwin Jackson failed/forgot to cover first on a grounder toward the right side by Wil Myers in the sixth. Jackson couldn’t reach it, and realized too late that Daniel Murphy was positioned up the middle in the shift and Ryan Zimmerman had to go for the ball, but it didn’t cost him as he stranded Myers in a 12-pitch frame.

• It was still tied at 1-1 with two out in the eighth when Ryan Zimmerman took a 94 mph 1-1 fastball from Padres’ righty Kirby Yates out to right field for an opposite field blast that put the Nationals on top, 2-1. Zimmerman’s 29th of 2017. #TKCHZ

• Edwin Jackson’s Line: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 Ks, 83 P, 57 S, 8/2 GO/FO.

• Brandon Kintzler hit Wil Myers with two out in the Padres’ half of the eighth inning, but completed a scoreless frame on 14 pitches.

• Sean Doolittle took the mound in the ninth and retired the Padres in order to end it and earn his 10th save in 10 opportunities with the Nationals. Final Score: 2-1 Nats.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• San Diego starts this long-weekend’s four-game set with Washington with a 43-36 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams, but the Nationals are 22-14 against the Padres since the start of the 2012 campaign.
• Washington’s 36-22 road record heading into their current road trip is the third-best road mark in the majors, second-best in the National League.
• In today’s San Padres-themed Fun with Arbitrary End Points segment: San Diego is (24-13) at Petco Park, with fourth-best home record in the majors... since May 21st.
• Washington’s offense starts the series in San Diego leading the NL in SLG (.470), runs scored (633), hits (1,125), extra-base hits (431), and the Nationals are ranked second in the NL in AVG (.274), OBP (.338), and home runs (177).
• Three of the four Nationals’ starters against the Padres are ranked in the Top 10 in ERA in the majors: Max Scherzer (2nd, 2.25), Gio Gonzalez (3rd, 2.49), and Stephen Strasburg (7th, 3.25).
• Wilmer Difo started the night with an 11-game hitting streak, over which the infielder was 14 for 41 (.366 AVG), with a double, triple, five walks, and three stolen bases.
• Padres’ infielder Cory Spangenberg starts the series with an eight-game hitting streak, over which he’s gone 13 for 31 (.419 AVG), with two doubles, a triple and four homers over the course of his streak.
• In today’s Nationals-themed Fun with Arbitrary End Points segment: Washington’s relievers, as a group, have posted a 1.52 ERA and a .149 BAA... in 29 ²⁄₃ IP since August 6th.

Nationals now 72-47