Nationals grind out workmanlike 3-1 win over Marlins

MIAMI - They lost their starting pitcher after two innings, then their starting left fielder after four innings. No matter, the Nationals still went about their business and beat the Marlins 3-1 tonight, thanks to some early clutch hits and some impressive relief work.

Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper each delivered two-out RBI doubles to stake Joe Ross to an early lead, but the right-hander had to depart after that due to a blister on his right middle finger. Three innings later, Jayson Werth also exited the game; no reason was given by the club, but the 36-year-old outfielder may have injured himself sliding into second base in the top of the fourth.

Forced to play a couple of men down, the Nationals made do thanks in no small part to the efforts of Yusmeiro Petit. The long man in their bullpen churned out four innings of one-run ball on 43 pitches, bridging the gap between the early departing Ross and the back end of the relief corps.

Petit's lone mistake resulted in a solo homer by Derek Dietrich, but the right-hander had some cushion thanks to Michael A. Taylor's homer in the top of the fifth, which extended the Nationals' lead to 3-0.

Oliver Perez retired the side in the seventh, striking out Giancarlo Stanton with a wicked curveball. Blake Treinen and Jonathan Papelbon then finished it off, securing the Nationals' 11th win in 14 games to begin the season by fanning Stanton looking.

Ross wasn't on the mound for long in this one, but he was effective, tossing two scoreless innings to lower his ERA to a microscopic 0.54 in three starts. Because he didn't make it through the requisite minimum of five innings, Petit was awarded the win by the official scorer.