Anthony Rendon did not waste any time getting the offense rolling for the Nationals against the Marlins in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Friday.
Facing Jarred Cosart, Rendon launched a 2-1 offering into the left field stands and the Nationals lead 1-0.
After a single from Adam LaRoche, Ian Desmond doubled to put men on second and third.
LaRoche came home on a passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and the Nationals lead 2-0.
Doug Fister needed less than four minutes to retire the Marlins in the top of the first inning, allowing only a single from Donovan Solano.
After one frame, the Nationals lead 2-0.
Update: Cosart is struggling with his control. That is putting it mildly. That's like saying the sun is just a pretty star. He has eight walks through five innings. That is one short of the Marlins record. Fister has 24 walks this season.
Asdrubal Cabrera's RBI single scored Ryan Zimmerman and the Nationals lead 3-0 after five innings.
Update II: They got Cosart out of there, but reliever Sam Dyson did not fair any better. He allowed three hits in the sixth, including a leadoff double to Fister. Zimmerman brought him home with an RBI single and the Nationals advantage is now 4-0.
Denard Span's base hit in the sixth was the 181st of his season, which in a new career-high.
Update III: Fister finished off the ninth, earning his seventh complete game of his career and 16th win of the season. The win was the 60th of his career.
It was also the second shutout in his career. Cabrera ended it with a diving catch of a Casey McGehee liner near second base.
Fister threw nine innings, allowed only three hits, no runs, no walks and struck out nine, twirling 104 pitches, 77 for strikes.
The Nationals defeat the Marlins 4-0, winning their 94th game of the season and clinching home-field advantage in the National League throughout the playoffs.
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