Washington scored four runs with two outs in the first and added three more in the third.
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Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper slides home to score on a single by Daniel Murphy during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, April 22, 2016, in Washington.
Instead of buckling down after a rough start that included a bases loaded HBP, Gibson was tagged for three more runs in the third, effectively ending any hope of a Twins comeback.
Zimmerman and Harper were the only two Washington Nationals hitters to have multi-hit games today (Harper had two doubles) As for Hughes, the Twins’ right-hander went seven innings, gave up two runs on six hits, struck out two, and walked two on 94 pitches (66 strikes) in the loss.
The Nationals, who only produced one run for Gonzalez in his first two starts, collected four in a first inning capped by Lobaton’s two-run single.
The Washington franchise, which began in 2005, set a record with 18 strikeouts – besting the mark of 17 set by Max Scherzer when he threw a no-hitter last October against the Mets in NY.
“At the time you’re thinking, ‘It’s just two runs, we can hopefully we can find a way to bounce back, ‘” Hughes said.
“That’s a big number, no matter who’s out there (pitching)”, manager Paul Molitor said. “Hopefully they are watching the game and trying to figure something out to give themselves a chance”. “But that wasn’t the case today”.
The Twins’ lone hits were a first-inning single by Joe Mauer and double by Max Kepler in the second.
The Washington Nationals are one win away from achieving the best start in franchise history.
Danny Espinosa was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Jose Lobaton finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Asked to explain his decision to use Chris Heisey (.231, 1 RBI) at the top of the order, Baker replied, “You got any better choices?” Ervin Santana (0-1, 3.15 ERA) was slated to pitch Sunday for the Twins but he has been scratched due to a sore lower back, assistant general manager Rob Antony said Saturday.
NOTES: Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (3-0, 1.25 ERA) will face Twins RHP Tyler Duffey (season debut) in the series finale Sunday.
Nationals: RHP Joe Ross (blister) still hopes to make his next scheduled start Tuesday. “There’s skin over it but it looks kind of like an open wound where they shaved the callus off”.
It was another ugly performance from Twins starter Kyle Gibson (0-3). He made his first start of the season at third base Saturday.
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Murphy, who came to Washington this winter on a three-year $37.5 million deal, grew as a hitter since last season, and not simply because of his seven-homer postseason, and the improvement continues.
