Rendon homers off King Felix in first (Nats hit six homers in 8-3 win)
By Josh Land
Anthony Rendon got the Nationals off to a quick start against one of baseball's best.
Rendon homered of Mariners ace Felix Hernandez with one out in the first to give the Nats an immediate 1-0 lead.
Hernandez entered the night third in the majors with a 2.07 ERA. He hasn't allowed more than four runs in any of his first 27 starts, only once permitting more than three.
But Hernandez hasn't been in top form over his last two outings, allowing five runs in 10 2/3 innings.
Rendon's 18th homer was just the 10th allowed by Hernandez all year. The Seattle right-hander hasn't given up more than one longball in any start this season.
So the Nats might be done scoring for the night if Hernandez has regained the form that made him an American League Cy Young favorite, or maybe it's the start of a big game for Washington.
Update: Jordan Zimmermann was unable to put a zero on the board in the bottom of the first to back up Rendon's blast.
The Mariners sent seven men to the plate and scored twice on three hits in the frame to take a 2-1 lead.
Dustin Ackley started the rally with a one-out triple to center. Robinson Cano walked to put runners on the corners and Kendrys Morales followed with an RBI single that deflected off Zimmermann into right to tie the game at 1-1.
Kyle Seager then singled to third to score Cano and give Seattle the lead.
Update II: Apparently the stat above proved to be foreboding for Hernandez, who has now surrendered two homers in a game for the first time since July 3, 2013.
This time, Jayson Werth got to King Felix with a two-out two-run homer in the third that gave the Nats a 3-2 lead. It was Werth's 14th homer of the year and just the 11th surrendered by Hernandez. The Mariners starter has allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out none in three innings. This is just the fifth time in 28 starts this season that he has allowed more than two runs in a game.
Hernandez has still been efficient, throwing just 41 pitches, 26 for strikes.
Update III: Hernandez had never allowed four home runs in one game until now.
In his 297th career start, the Nationals silenced the King's Court and stunned the Safeco Field faithful with four homers in the first four innings after Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos added solo shots in the fourth.
That increased the Nats' lead to 5-2 and officially makes this Hernandez's worst start of the year.
King Felix has allowed a season-high five runs on six hits through four frames. He has now thrown 62 pitches, 43 for strikes. This marks the first time Hernandez has given up more than four runs since allowing nine (eight earned) on Aug. 28, 2013.
Zimmermann is doing a bit better, having allowed two runs on five hits in three innings. He has struck out six and walked one.
Update IV: Zimmermann's night came to a close with the Nats right-hander outdueling Hernandez.
Zimmermann held the Mariners to two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out eight in six innings. He has now allowed 12 runs in 47 2/3 innings for a 2.27 ERA over his last seven starts. If the Nats can hold onto their 5-2 lead, Zimmermann will increase his personal winning streak to four in a row to give himself a double-digit wins total for the third straight season.
Drew Storen struck out two during a 1-2-3 seventh in relief of Zimmermann.
While the Nats piled up 10 hits against Hernandez, Rendon caused the most trouble. He's 3-for-3 with a homer, a double, a single, a walk, one RBI and two runs scored.
Despite struggling early, Hernandez saved the Mariners bullpen by getting deep in the game. But he's done after 103 pitches and seven innings. He allowed five runs, walked one and struck out one. His ERA leapt from 2.07 to 2.23. The 10 hits were the second-most he has surrendered this season.
Update V: Bryce Harper and Ramos hit back-to-back homers off former Nats reliever Joe Beimel in the eighth to extend the lead to 7-2. It was Harper's eighth homer of the year while Ramos clubbed his second of the night and ninth on the year. Ramos now has three multi-homer games in his career, and this marks his first since April 6, 2013. It was also the Nats' first set of back-to-back homers this season.
The Nats have now hit six homers for the first time since Sept. 5, 2012 and just the fourth time since moving to Washington in 2005, according to Nats PR. They have never hit seven homers.
Beimel surrendered two homers in two-thirds of an inning before being removed for Brandon Maurer, doubling the number of longballs he has surrendered this season.
The Mariners lefty had allowed just seven earned runs in 39 1/3 innings for a 1.60 ERA before the Nats took him deep twice. With two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning, Beimel's ERA jumped to 2.03.
Update VI: Tyler Clippard tossed a perfect eighth and Rafael Soriano allowed a run in the ninth to finish off a power-packed 8-3 win for the Nats.
Adam LaRoche capped the Nats' scoring with a bases-loaded sac fly in the ninth. Endy Chavez hit an RBI double off Soriano in the bottom of the frame.
Washington recorded 14 hits, led by a 4-for-4 night from Rendon, who reached base all five times he stepped to the plate. Harper added three hits while Denard Span, Desmond and Ramos added two apiece.
Zimmermann won his fourth consecutive decision to improve to 10-5 while Hernandez lost his second straight to fall to 13-5.
The Nats snapped a three-game skid and improved to 76-57 in the process. But Washington remains six games ahead of the Braves, who beat the Marlins.
Rendon homered of Mariners ace Felix Hernandez with one out in the first to give the Nats an immediate 1-0 lead.
Hernandez entered the night third in the majors with a 2.07 ERA. He hasn't allowed more than four runs in any of his first 27 starts, only once permitting more than three.
But Hernandez hasn't been in top form over his last two outings, allowing five runs in 10 2/3 innings.
Rendon's 18th homer was just the 10th allowed by Hernandez all year. The Seattle right-hander hasn't given up more than one longball in any start this season.
So the Nats might be done scoring for the night if Hernandez has regained the form that made him an American League Cy Young favorite, or maybe it's the start of a big game for Washington.
Update: Jordan Zimmermann was unable to put a zero on the board in the bottom of the first to back up Rendon's blast.
The Mariners sent seven men to the plate and scored twice on three hits in the frame to take a 2-1 lead.
Dustin Ackley started the rally with a one-out triple to center. Robinson Cano walked to put runners on the corners and Kendrys Morales followed with an RBI single that deflected off Zimmermann into right to tie the game at 1-1.
Kyle Seager then singled to third to score Cano and give Seattle the lead.
Update II: Apparently the stat above proved to be foreboding for Hernandez, who has now surrendered two homers in a game for the first time since July 3, 2013.
This time, Jayson Werth got to King Felix with a two-out two-run homer in the third that gave the Nats a 3-2 lead. It was Werth's 14th homer of the year and just the 11th surrendered by Hernandez. The Mariners starter has allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out none in three innings. This is just the fifth time in 28 starts this season that he has allowed more than two runs in a game.
Hernandez has still been efficient, throwing just 41 pitches, 26 for strikes.
Update III: Hernandez had never allowed four home runs in one game until now.
In his 297th career start, the Nationals silenced the King's Court and stunned the Safeco Field faithful with four homers in the first four innings after Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos added solo shots in the fourth.
That increased the Nats' lead to 5-2 and officially makes this Hernandez's worst start of the year.
King Felix has allowed a season-high five runs on six hits through four frames. He has now thrown 62 pitches, 43 for strikes. This marks the first time Hernandez has given up more than four runs since allowing nine (eight earned) on Aug. 28, 2013.
Zimmermann is doing a bit better, having allowed two runs on five hits in three innings. He has struck out six and walked one.
Update IV: Zimmermann's night came to a close with the Nats right-hander outdueling Hernandez.
Zimmermann held the Mariners to two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out eight in six innings. He has now allowed 12 runs in 47 2/3 innings for a 2.27 ERA over his last seven starts. If the Nats can hold onto their 5-2 lead, Zimmermann will increase his personal winning streak to four in a row to give himself a double-digit wins total for the third straight season.
Drew Storen struck out two during a 1-2-3 seventh in relief of Zimmermann.
While the Nats piled up 10 hits against Hernandez, Rendon caused the most trouble. He's 3-for-3 with a homer, a double, a single, a walk, one RBI and two runs scored.
Despite struggling early, Hernandez saved the Mariners bullpen by getting deep in the game. But he's done after 103 pitches and seven innings. He allowed five runs, walked one and struck out one. His ERA leapt from 2.07 to 2.23. The 10 hits were the second-most he has surrendered this season.
Update V: Bryce Harper and Ramos hit back-to-back homers off former Nats reliever Joe Beimel in the eighth to extend the lead to 7-2. It was Harper's eighth homer of the year while Ramos clubbed his second of the night and ninth on the year. Ramos now has three multi-homer games in his career, and this marks his first since April 6, 2013. It was also the Nats' first set of back-to-back homers this season.
The Nats have now hit six homers for the first time since Sept. 5, 2012 and just the fourth time since moving to Washington in 2005, according to Nats PR. They have never hit seven homers.
Beimel surrendered two homers in two-thirds of an inning before being removed for Brandon Maurer, doubling the number of longballs he has surrendered this season.
The Mariners lefty had allowed just seven earned runs in 39 1/3 innings for a 1.60 ERA before the Nats took him deep twice. With two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning, Beimel's ERA jumped to 2.03.
Update VI: Tyler Clippard tossed a perfect eighth and Rafael Soriano allowed a run in the ninth to finish off a power-packed 8-3 win for the Nats.
Adam LaRoche capped the Nats' scoring with a bases-loaded sac fly in the ninth. Endy Chavez hit an RBI double off Soriano in the bottom of the frame.
Washington recorded 14 hits, led by a 4-for-4 night from Rendon, who reached base all five times he stepped to the plate. Harper added three hits while Denard Span, Desmond and Ramos added two apiece.
Zimmermann won his fourth consecutive decision to improve to 10-5 while Hernandez lost his second straight to fall to 13-5.
The Nats snapped a three-game skid and improved to 76-57 in the process. But Washington remains six games ahead of the Braves, who beat the Marlins.
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