First-inning offense continues, even without Harper (Nats win 2-0)

KANSAS CITY - The Nationals continue to do damage in the first inning, even if Bryce Harper isn't contributing to it.

With Harper mired in a sudden slump, the Nats have had to turn to others for offense. They delivered all weekend during a three-game sweep in St. Louis, and they delivered again in the top of the first tonight in their interleague series opener in at Kauffman Stadium, scoring two quick runs to take an early lead.

Michael A. Taylor and Anthony Rendon set the table with a leadoff walk and subsequent single, putting Harper in prime position to snap out of his slump in style. But the recently named NL Player of the Month for April struck out on three pitches from Edinson Volquez, leaving himself 0-for-12 on this road trip, with five consecutive strikeouts.

No worries, because Ryan Zimmerman picked up his teammate, drilling a double over right fielder Paulo Orlando's head to bring home Taylor. Rendon scored moments later on Daniel Murphy's groundout, making it 2-0.

The Nationals have now scored 32 of their 101 total runs this season in the first inning, a trend that has given their starters the luxury of taking the mound with a lead.

Gio Gonzalez has taken advantage of it so far tonight, though the left-hander has labored to do it.

Gonzalez hasn't given up a run through three innings, but his inconsistent command combined with the Royals' ability to grind out long at-bats has left him with an elevated pitch count of 60.

Kansas City also helped Gonzalez out by running into two outs in the bottom of the third. Orlando was called for interference when he ran inside the baseline on his bunt attempt and got hit in the back by Gonzalez's throw. Lorenzo Cain later made the third out trying to steal third base, with Jose Lobaton firing a perfect throw to get him.

Update: Gonzalez has settled in nicely, becoming much more efficient as the night wears on. He retired the side in the fourth on only eight pitches, then got through a scoreless fifth on 15.

The Nats still lead 2-0, but they squandered a golden opportunity to add on in the top of the fifth. With two on and nobody out, Taylor swung through a 3-1 fastball at his eyes, then grounded into a double play. Rendon followed with a well-struck ball to left-center, but Cain tracked it down to end the inning and keep this a two-run game.

Update II: Gonzalez finished off his night stranding two more Royals on base. He wound up with six scoreless innings on 102 pitches, lowering his season ERA to 1.15. Yes, 1.15.

Sammy Solis got the seventh inning and proceeded to retire the side. The young lefty has now retired 11-of-13 batters faced since he was called up last week. It's still 2-0 Nats after seven.

Update III: More big-time relief in the bottom of the eighth, this time from Shawn Kelley and Oliver Perez, who combined to strike out Cain, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales in succession with a man on second base. And so it's still 2-0 Nats after eight as Jonathan Papelbon begins to warm in the bullpen.

Update IV: This game started out 2-0 and it ends 2-0. The Nats made that first-inning rally hold up, thanks to brilliant pitching from Gonzalez, Solis, Kelley, Perez and Papelbon, who finished it off in the ninth for his ninth save. And so the Nationals have opened this daunting, 10-game road trip a perfect 4-0.