Solo HRs by Jayson Werth and Mark DeRosa coupled with solid relief pitching paced the Nats past the Braves for a 5-2 win this afternoon.
Gio Gonzalez turned in three scoreless innings in his spring debut, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two.
Michael Morse was a lat(e) scratch, which gave Bryce Harper his fourth start in five days. The 19-year-old went 1-for-4 with a strikeout but ran into a double play trying to advance from first to third on a grounder to third.
Running down the notable minor-leaguer lines from the box score:
- Anthony Rendon got his first hit for the spring, an opposite-field double to right in the 8th inning. He played 3B but had no defensive chances.
- Eury Perez went 0-for-2 and played CF, registering a putout.
- Tyler Moore drove in the 5th Nationals run with a sacrifice fly and played error-free at 1B.
- Sandy Leon went 1-for-2 while subbing in at catcher for Wilson Ramos.
- Atahualpa Severino started the sixth but gave up a single and a walk before getting a strikeout on former Myrtle Beach Pelican Ernesto “Ole” Mejia.
- Austin Bibens-Dirkx let in one of the two runners he inherited from Severino before striking out Jason Heyward to end the 6th.
Tomorrow afternoon, the Nats return to Viera to host the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Jordan Zimmermann is scheduled to start for the Nats, while Shelby Miller is slated for the Cards. The game will not be televised or broadcast on radio, home or away.