Nationals won and pitcher Gonzalez reached 15 wins

Gio Gonzalez makes friends easily, and he showed why on Monday night after the Nationals’ blowout victory over the S.F Giants.

Before he spoke about anything he did on the mound, Gonzalez took time to recognize the run support his squads gave him.

Kurt Suzuki drove in 4 runs, Danny Espinosa and Roger Bernadina each knocked in 3 and the Nationals routed the Giants 14-2 in a matchup of National League division leaders.

”Most importantly they came up big and gave me something to work with,” Gonzalez announced. ”My thought from the get-go was just to maintain, particularly with the pitcher they’d today. He’s not a easy guy to go out there and get 2 runs off of, and right off the bat these guys are swinging the bat. Can’t complain with some runs.”

Gonzalez (15-6) tied a Nationals record for wins in a season, turbo-charged by Washington’s highest scoring game of the season.

”I just attempted to pound the strike zone,” Gonzalez asserted. ”Last inning started wearing on me a little bit, but that’s why you’ve a great bullpen, to clean up my mess.”

The Nationals led 14-0 in the 5th inning and won for the 11th time in 13 games. They are 7-1 on this trip.

”The boys are in a good mood,” Nationals manager Davey Johnson claimed. ”Just like the skipper. It was fun to watch the offense. We beat up on a pretty good pitcher.” Online Sports Betting

NL ERA leader Ryan Vogelsong (10-6) allowed 8 runs and 9 hits in 2 2-3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.

Pinch hitter Brandon Crawford homered and drove in both runs for the San Francisco Giants, who have lost three of five. Giants dropped into a tie with the L.A Dodgers for the National League West lead.

”There’s not a whole lot to say,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced. ”What could go wrong went wrong and they made some rather good contact. They placed the ball well and we could not stop it.”

Gonzalez returned to the Bay Area for the 1st time since the Athletics traded him to the Nationals during the offseason. He won his 2nd straight after going 1-3 in his 5 previous starts.

Gonzalez gave up 2 runs and 6 hits over 6 2-3 innings.

Every Nationals position player, with the exception of late-inning replacement Cesar Izturis, either scored a run, drove in a run or got a hit. Bernadina had 4 of Washington’s 21 hits, and Steve Lombardozzi, Ryan Zimmerman, Espinosa and Suzuki each had 3. Suzuki’s 3-run double capped a 7-run 3rd that made it 8-0.

”You play the game the best way and you get rewarded for it,” Zimmerman asserted. ”We just got some big hits and that was it.”

The 21 hits were most by a visiting team at ATT Park.

Vogelsong ended up with the 4th-best ERA in the National League. Of the 19 batters he faced, 11 reached base. He had not pitched less than 6 innings in any of his prior starts this season, and hadn’t permitted more than 2 runs in his 11 prior home starts.