WASHINGTON (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer for his eighth of the season, Tanner Roark allowed a run over seven innings and the Washington Nationals defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-1 on Wednesday night.
Rendon has three homers and eight RBIs in the Nationals’ two victories to open this three-game series.
Roark (4-2) completed seven innings for the first time in seven starts and held the Mariners to 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
Mariners rookie Sam Gaviglio (0-1) allowed all five runs — one earned — over six innings as the Mariners lost their fifth straight.
Seattle’s Robinson Cano went 3 for 4, including an RBI single and a double that center fielder Michael Taylor’s glove prevented from being a home run.
Rendon had gone 12 games without an RBI before the series. But after driving in five runs Tuesday, he drove in three more to help Washington grab a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the first.
Trea Turner reached on shortstop Jean Segura’s throwing error and scored on Ryan Zimmerman’s sacrifice fly. Daniel Murphy doubled and Rendon’s two-out shot cleared the fence in left-center by a few feet.
Cano’s near-home run was pulled back from a similar spot in front of the visitors bullpen in the top of the third. Taylor couldn’t secure the ball while crashing into the wall, but Roark stranded Cano at second.
Roark allowed eight hits and two walks while striking out eight. He finished with clean innings in the fifth and seventh, striking out his last two batters.
TRAINERS ROOM
Mariners: OF Mitch Haniger (oblique strain) joined the team in Washington on Wednesday. “We’ll work him out here over the next three or four days and then see how that’s progressing to get him out on a rehab (assignment),” manager Scott Servais said.
Nationals: Placed OF Chris Heisey on the 10-day DL with a ruptured right biceps he sustained in batting practice and recalled OF Brian Goodwin. . LHP Sammy Solis (elbow inflammation) is set to join the Nationals’ extended spring training camp in Florida. “Hopefully, this will be no setbacks, this will be like his spring training,” manager Dusty Baker said.
HELLO, GOODBYE
RHP Emilio Pagan was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Monday and pitched four scoreless innings of relief in Tuesday’s 10-1 Mariners’ defeat. Then he was optioned back to Tacoma on Wednesday as Seattle recalled RHP Rob Whalen.
APLIN OF THEIR EYE
Seattle acquired OF Andrew Aplin from Houston for a player to be named on Wednesday and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners designated RHP Chris Heston for assignment to make room for Aplin on their 40-man roster.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Ariel Miranda (2-3, 4.28) faces the Nationals for the first time. It is the 28-year-old Cuban defector’s 20th big league start.
Nationals: Gio Gonzalez (3-1, 2.86) has historically had the better of Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz, allowing him only a single in 13 at-bats and striking him out five times.
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