Washington, DC – Bryce Harper sent a fourth-inning Gavin Floyd offering into the second deck and Danny Espinosa drove in two runs, as the Washington Nationals remained perfect at home this season with a 5-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Jordan Zimmermann (2-0) was dialed in all night for Washington, allowing just two runs on seven hits while striking out four in seven innings of work. Zimmermann was also productive at the plate, laying down two sacrifice bunts.
Espinosa went 2-for-4, while Ian Desmond had three hits -- two doubles and a triple -- and two runs scored.
Floyd got off to a fast start but lasted just 5 1/3 innings while yielding five runs on nine hits. He also had seven strikeouts.
"It seemed like the first two innings he was unhittable," said Nationals manager Davey Johnson. "He's a good pitcher. We beat a good pitcher."
Alex Rios and Conor Gillaspie each had two hits to pace Chicago, which fell to 0-2 on the road this season.
Rafael Soriano allowed a two-out single to Alexei Ramirez but got Gillaspie to pop out for his fourth save of the season.
The White Sox got on the board quickly, scoring a run in the first inning on Adam Dunn's ground out to first base with one out. Jeff Keppinger, who singled earlier in the inning, trotted home easily from third.
Harper tied things in the fourth with his fourth home run of the season. Later that inning, Desmond doubled and scored on an Espinosa single to give the Nats their first lead of the night.
Ryan Zimmerman gave Washington its third run with a single to right in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Chicago got it right back when Alejandro De Aza came home on a Rios groundout in the top of the sixth.
Washington got two insurance runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to an RBI- double from Espinosa and an infield single from Denard Span, which plated Espinosa.
"I was just trying to be patient right there and get a ball to drive," said Espinosa.
Drew Storen pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Nats.
Game Notes
Harper became the fourth 20-year old in the Live Ball Era with four home runs in his team's first eight games, joining Al Kaline, Miguel Cabrera and Carlos May ... Three White Sox relievers combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings ... Chicago went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.