Nationals Jason Marquis pitched a complete game shutout and Laynce Nix crushed a two-run homer off of Tim Lincecum as Washington stunned the defending world champion San Francisco Giants, 3-0 Friday, before 21,399 at Nationals Park.
Marquis (3-0) allowed only five hits, and only one of the extra base variety, struck out seven and walked none in the Nationals first complete game shutout since April 2010 versus Milwaukee in a Livan Hernandez 8-0 white washing.
It was the fourth career shutout for Marquis and his first since being a member of the Colorado Rockies in June 2009 at the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond went 3-for-3, and is now 5-for-7 since the birth of his son Grayson. He says it is nice to see the offense catch up to the pitching the last two games.
“I think this goes back to (what) most of us were frustrated about at the beginning of the season,” Desmond said. “We knew we were going to have a pitching staff. All off season, people were saying our starting pitching isn’t going to cut it.”
Lincecum (2-3) allowed more earned runs against the Nationals (3) in seven innings than he did in 21.2 innings his first three road starts of the season (2).
Lefties John Lannan and Jonathan Sanchez tangle in game two today at 3:30 p.m. right here on Sports Radio 106.7 The Fan.
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