Nats hit double digits in rout of Cubs

Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Gio Gonzalez continued his mastery of the Chicago Cubs, and the Washington Nationals smacked a season-best 19 hits in a 13-0 win.

The second test of this three-game series at Nationals Park was supposed to feature a marquee pitching matchup between Gonzalez and Jeff Samardzija.

Chicago, however, traded Samardzija and fellow starter Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics before Saturday's game for two highly regarded prospects in shortstop Addison Russell and outfielder Billy McKinney.

Gonzalez (6-4) baffled the Cubs, giving up four singles with a walk and seven strikeouts over eight innings. The lefty authored a fourth consecutive scoreless start against them, a stretch that spans 30 innings.

He hasn't allowed a run in his last 22 innings overall.

Ryan Zimmerman collected four hits and knocked in three runs for Washington, which had its season-best, five-game winning streak snapped Friday.

Anthony Rendon had three of the Nationals' eight doubles and joined Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond with two RBI.

Carlos Villanueva (4-6) made the spot start in place of Samardzija and allowed four runs on five hits in two-plus innings. Chris Rusin followed Villanueva and was tagged for five runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The Cubs had won their last four games and five straight on the road.

Already up 1-0, Washington blew the game open with a six-run third.

The first five batters reached base, with Rendon, Werth and Zimmerman each doubling in a run. A wild pitch by Rusin brought in a fourth run before Desmond and Wilson Ramos hit consecutive RBI singles.

Werth doubled home Rendon with two outs in the sixth and scored on an Adam LaRoche single.

The Nationals put up a four-spot in the seventh, capped by Zimmerman's two-run double.

Game Notes

The Cubs also received pitcher Dan Straily and a player to be named later or cash considerations from the A's ... The 13 runs were also a season high for Washington ... The Nationals finished 11-for-19 with runners in scoring position ... Rendon and Ramos both extended their hitting streaks to nine games.