Gonzalez savors another quality start to the season

DENVER - Left-hander Gio Gonzalez started last season with by pitching at least six innings in five straight games.

To begin this season, he has done it again.

Gonzalez went 6 2/3 innings Thursday as the Nationals crushed the Rockies 16-5 to win the series and finish the road trip 9-1. They head home with the best record in baseball at 16-6, which also matches the 1970 Expos for the best start in franchise history.

Gonzalez allowed only two runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out five. He tossed 106 pitches, 60 for strikes. He also contributed offensively with a two-out run-scoring single and later a bases-loaded walk, finishing 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

That marks five starts of at least six innings each. He also has reached at least seven innings this season twice.

Manager Dusty Baker said he was most impressed with the way Gonzalez handled himself in Coors Field, a very tough place for a pitcher to be successful.

"Gio threw a great game, especially here in this ballpark," Baker said. "He threw up some timely double plays and he made quality pitches. That's how you get out of trouble. That's how you throw double plays, by making quality pitches. His breaking ball was good, his changeup was good.

"This is a park that's not really conducive to throwing good breaking balls. And he got a couple of big at-bats. He drove in a run with two outs and he also got an RBI on a walk to roll the lineup around. He had a very good day, as well."

Gonzalez said he was able to mix his pitches well and in a very difficult place to pitch.

"It was tricky because this morning I heard it was supposed to snow," Gonzalez said. "Then all of sudden it rained. And it stopped. And it was beautiful. I'll take it. First time in Colorado going into the seventh. ... I'll take that (with) a smile.

"It's tough trying to hit your spot here. Sometimes (when) you want the ball to sink, it cuts. Sometimes you don't even try to cut and it sinks. You're trying to throw down, it goes up. Then you go up and it goes down. All in all, you try to find a center balance point of trying to hit your spots and that's it just throw it where you want it and hopefully it goes that way."

Gonzalez (3-0) has lowered his ERA to 1.62 and a taxed bullpen only had to get seven outs Thursday. Baker said that was what his relievers needed because usually it doesn't work out that way here.

"You're always worried about that," Baker said. "You're always worried about after you leave here. Our bullpen is in pretty good shape. We got Max (Scherzer) tomorrow (Friday), which hopefully (means) we don't use our bullpen much. Then I think we got Stras (Stephen Strasburg) after that."