Nats sweep Marlins again, move closer to another division title

MIAMI - The Nationals have known for some time they are going to win the National League East, and most likely by a wide margin. The only question was when it would become official.

Well, by beating the Marlins six times in the last 10 days, they have managed to push up the clinching date by a whole lot.

Tonight's 8-1 thumping at Marlins Park capped off the Nationals' second series sweep of their closest division competitor in less than two weeks. A Miami club that thought it was clawing its way back into the wild card race instead was exposed as far inferior to a Washington club that can now start making plans for a celebration on its home turf.

With their magic number suddenly down to six, the Nationals head home for four games with the Phillies this weekend, followed by three with the Braves. At this rate, there's a good chance they'll wrap this up before the Dodgers ever get to town for what has been shaping up to be a showdown between the NL's top two teams.

"We had a little tough time in that Milwaukee series," said manager Dusty Baker, whose club lost three of four to the Brewers over the weekend. "But the guys responded and acted like Milwaukee never happened. That's how you have to take them, series per series."

Pitching has been the Nationals' biggest strength during this recent surge, and Gio Gonzalez has been as big a part of it as anyone. The left-hander was up to his old tricks again tonight, pitching out of a pair of hazardous jams that would've taken him down in years past but have become his forte during a remarkable 2017.

After cruising through three hitless innings on 47 pitches, Gonzalez loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth. He promptly got J.T. Realmuto to line out to short before striking out both Tyler Moore and Brian Anderson, completing a 34-pitch inning without surrendering a run.

Then for good measure, Gonzalez did it again in the fifth. He had two on with one out and Giancarlo Stanton at the plate but got the fearsome slugger to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to erase that jam.

In the process, Gonzalez lowered what already was the majors' lowest opponents' batting average with runners in scoring position to a paltry .137. He also improved to 14-6 with a 2.50 ERA.

"He's been great all year," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "That changeup has really been a gamebreaker for him. Throwing that fastball in and then the changeup off of that - obviously the curveball has been there for him his whole career - but getting ground balls to get double plays when he needs them. Just his mound presence this year has been unbelievable."

And, for what it's worth, Gonzalez raised his season innings total to 179 2/3. If he records only one more out this month, his option for 2018 will automatically vest for $12 million, a sum the Nationals happily will pay one of the most reliable lefties in baseball.

Gonzalez hasn't always received run support this season, but the Nats supplied plenty tonight. They scored three off rookie left-hander Dillon Peters, including Zimmerman's 427-foot, opposite-field homer off the facing of the second deck in the top of the fourth.

Zimmerman wound up with three hits, two RBIs and three runs scored in one of his best all-around nights at the plate in a while. Michael A. Taylor chipped in his own towering homer, a solo shot over the Clevelander bar in left field, in the top of the eighth to help turn this one into a rout and move the Nationals another step closer to a division crown.

All the while, Taylor, Gonzalez and others on the roster who are from Florida were busy keeping loved ones on their minds as Hurricane Irma makes its way toward the state. Gonzalez, whose hometown of Hialeah is just minutes north of Marlins Park, said his entire family is headed out of town as a precaution. Taylor, who lives in Fort Lauderdale but well inland, said his mother and others will ride out the storm at home.

"There was a lot on our minds, not only myself but a lot of players had some family here," Gonzalez said. "I was talking to (Marlins catcher) J.T. Realmuto, and I was asking: 'You guys have your family set? You guys ready to go?' That was the main concern, basically everybody's safety, and then we can get back to work. It's weird to see a night game and get going in Miami knowing what's coming. It was just trying to take emotion out of the game again. But it's tough. Too much going on."

Said Taylor: "It's been a little hectic, trying to get everything situated for my place and my family. But I'm kind of glad I'm here right now. I'm close to home, and it gives me a chance to help out a little bit before I leave."