GAME IN A NUTSHELL: If Tuesday night’s victory gave Nationals fans reason to calm down and believe things were turning in the right direction, Wednesday night’s loss only gave them reason to completely reverse course and now fear the worst. This was among the ugliest games this team has played all season, and it only got worse as the night progressed.
Things started off fine when the Nationals plated a pair of first-inning runs off Rubby De La Rosa. But that’s all they managed against the uninspiring Diamondbacks right-hander. Gio Gonzalez, meanwhile, labored to get through five innings on 93 pitches, yet emerged from that allowing only one run thanks to seven strikeouts (all with runners in scoring position).