Final Score: Washington 4, Florida 0
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Willingham hit a three-run double in the top of the sixth inning, and the Washington Nationals beat Florida 4-0 in the opener of a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium.
Washington rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg and Florida's Ricky Nolasco both held the opposition scoreless through five frames.
Nyjer Morgan and Cristian Guzman started the sixth with back-to-back singles off Nolasco (9-7). Adam Dunn drew a one-out walk to the load the bases, and Willingham cleared them by driving a 1-2 pitch into the right-center field gap, with the former Marlin taking third on the throw home.
Brian Sanches replaced Nolasco and Ivan Rodriguez lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Willingham.
Strasburg (4-2) scattered four hits and walked three while fanning seven over six innings. He lowered his earned run average to 2.03.
Nolasco gave up seven hits and struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings. He had won his previous four starts.
Strasburg needed 34 pitches to get out of a first inning during which he issued a pair of walks. The Marlins threatened again in the second, placing runners on second and third with two out, but the young flame-thrower escaped the jam by getting Chris Coghlan to ground out softly to first base.
Drew Storen tossed two spotless frames in relief of Strasburg, and Washington closer Matt Capps, who earned the win for the National League in Tuesday's All-Star Game, worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to complete the four- hit shutout.
Game Notes
Willingham played for Florida from 2004-08...Dunn had two hits...The Marlins played their first game in Florida since June 27. They embarked on a 10-game road trip after hosting the Mets for three games in San Juan, Puerto Rico...Florida right-hander Jhan Marinez made his major league debut, recording the final out in the top of the seventh.