The Nationals' biggest offseason acquisition made his spring training debut Tuesday afternoon, and he did not disappoint.
Gio Gonzalez pitched three shutout innings against an Atlanta Braves lineup that included Michael Bourn, Brian McCann, Jason Heyward, Dan Uggla, and Freddie Freeman in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Gonzalez allowed just one hit and one walk in his three innings work and stuck out two Atlanta batters. He also recorded four of his nine outs via groundout. According to CSN Washington's Nats Insider Mark Zuckerman, Gonzalez hit 95 miles per hour on the radar gun in his first inning of work.
On the offensive side of the ledger, Jayson Werth hit his first home run of the spring in the second inning to put the Nationals up 1-0. Two more runs scored on Chad Tracy's double in the top the third inning to make the score 3-0, Washington, and the Nationals added another solo shot, this time from Mark DeRosa, to make the score 4-0 in the top of the fourth.
The Nationals went on to defeat Atlanta, 5-2. They resume spring training tomorrow in Viera against the St. Louis Cardinals.