Friday night fire: Nats jump out early against Twins, win 8-4

Last Friday night in Philadelphia, the Nationals set the tone for the weekend series with five runs on six hits in the first inning. They went on to roll past the Phillies 9-1.

Back home in D.C. tonight, the Nationals took it to Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson in the bottom of the first.

Daniel Murphy smacked an RBI single and Danny Espinosa was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Jose Lobaton then slapped a two-run single to make it 4-0 Nationals.

Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez started off striking out three of the first four batters he faced. He has struck out four batters in the first two frames.

The Nationals lead 4-0 heading to the bottom of the second.

Update: Espinosa's second at-bat yields another RBI. In the bottom of the second, Murphy doubled and went to third on an outfield line out by Jayson Werth.

Then, Espinosa lined a clean single down the right field line to score Murphy and the Nationals lead 5-0.

Lobaton followed with an RBI triple, his first three-bagger since 2013. Gonzalez helped his own cause with a sacrifice fly out to left field.

The Nationals lead 7-0.

Three innings completed in D.C. Gonzalez has five strikeouts.

Update II: Joe Mauer got the Twins on the board in the fourth with an RBI single and it's 7-1 Nationals.

Gibson finished with three innings pitched, seven runs allowed on seven hits, two walks and one strikeout.

Update III: Werth crushed a solo homer in the fifth off of Twins reliever Michael Tonkin. It was his third homer of the season and it came off a 2-2 pitch. The Nationals lead 8-1 after five.

Update IV: Gonzalez allowed two singles and a walk in the seventh. He was replaced by reliever Shawn Kelley.

Eduardo Nunez then delivered a one-out, two-run single to trim the Nationals' advantage to 8-3.

Gonzalez finished six innings plus three batters, giving up six hits, three runs, two earned, one walk and struck out eight. He fired 90 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Update V: Miguel Sano cranked a solo shot over the center field wall in the eighth off of Nationals reliever Felipe Rivero and the Nationals lead is 8-4.

Update VI: Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the Nationals' 8-4 win.