Quiet bats spoil Rendon's return in Nats' 2-1 loss

Much like tonight's game, Gio Gonzalez was slow to get started. After a 1-hour, 51-minute rain delay, Gonzalez loaded the bases on a walk and two singles. He then battled Cubs right fielder Junior Lake before walking him on the eighth pitch to bring center fielder Dexter Fowler to the plate for the game's first run.

The Cubs followed with another run on shortstop Starlin Castro's double play grounder. It was the first test for Anthony Rendon who received the flip from Ian Desmond and successfully pivoted to complete the throw to Ryan Zimmerman at first.

Rendon helped Gonzalez out of the jam by charging a slow ground ball from left fielder Matt Szczur and firing to Zimmerman to end the inning.

Facing a full count in his first at-bat of the season, Rendon lined a slider from Cubs starter Jake Arrieta into right field for a base hit.

The next hitter, Yunel Escobar, struck out swinging and Rendon was caught stealing at second to close out the frame. Escobar left the game with an undisclosed injury after the at-bat. Rendon shifted to third base and Danny Espinosa entered the game at second base.

Update: Gonzalez settled down after his shaky start to throw five straight scoreless frames before leaving after the sixth. He allowed the early two runs on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts. Gonzalez threw 103 pitches.

With one out in the sixth, Denard Span singled to center. Rendon followed with his first double of the season on a ball that got past Fowler. Arrieta then hit Espinosa to load the bases for Bryce Harper. Harper hit a soft grounder to Castro who rifled a throw to first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Harper appeared to beat the ball to the bag but first base umpire Rob Drake called him out. The Nats didn't have a challenge left after burning it in the fourth when a caught stealing call on Espinosa was upheld.

Span scored on the Harper ground out to cut the Cubs lead in half. It was the first run for the Nationals in the last 18 innings.

Rendon is 2-for-3 with a double in the game.

Update II: The Nats threatened in the ninth after Michael A. Taylor singled and Clint Robinson drew a pinch-hit walk. But Cubs closer Hector Rondon was able to get Span to fly out to center and then catcher David Ross picked off Robinson at first leaving Rendon with the bat in his hand to end the game.

The Cubs beat the Nats 2-1.