ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Zack Godley’s fine start continues, D-backs beat Nationals 6-4

Aug 3, 2015, 7:15 PM | Updated: 7:16 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley throws against the Seattle Mariners in the first ...

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley throws against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 28, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

WASHINGTON — Rookie Zack Godley pitched six scoreless innings to continue a stellar start to his career, and the Arizona Diamondbacks homered four times in a 6-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.

Nick Ahmed homered and had four hits as the Diamondbacks improved to 5-2 on their 10-game, bi-coastal road trip while handing the Nationals their fourth straight loss.

Godley (3-0) won two of those games, and with Monday’s victory he becomes the second Arizona pitcher to win in each of his first three major league outings.

David Peralta and Welington Castillo added back-to-back homers off Nationals starter Doug Fister (4-7) and Jake Lamb hit a high-arcing shot in the ninth in Jonathan Papelbon’s home debut in Washington.

Fister allowed five runs over six innings.

Ryan Zimmerman homered for Washington, which scored all four of its runs in the ninth inning, forcing Brad Ziegler to come on for his 19th save.

Godley remains unblemished after being called up in July with no Triple-A experience and only three career starts with Double-A Mobile.

He has pitched six innings in all three of those outings, allowing 14 hits while posting a 1.50 ERA.

Godley retired his first nine batters on just 29 pitches Monday, striking out the side in the second.

In the fourth, he allowed two hits and a walk to load the bases, but induced Ian Desmond into an inning-ending grounder to short.

Fister matched Godley with two efficient innings. But in the third, Ahmed hammered Fister’s 3-1 fastball into the visitors’ bullpen, making it 1-0.

Peralta and Castillo connected in the fourth to make it 4-0, with Castillo’s blast to left-center bringing a smattering of boos from the home crowd.

A.J. Pollock’s sacrifice fly made it 5-0 in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Manager Chip Hale said Arizona may decide to activate RHP Chase Anderson (triceps inflammation) after just one rehab start and go with a six-man starting rotation. “We’ve been going around and round about what’s best,” Hale said. Anderson threw four scoreless innings in a Rookie Arizona League game Sunday.

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (left oblique strain) struck out 11 batters and allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Monday night, his second rehab start . CF Denard Span (back tightness) took ground balls in the outfield before Monday’s game and will take live batting practice later this week, manager Matt Williams said.

UP NEXT

Arizona LHP Patrick Corbin (2-3, 3.21) looks for his first consecutive wins of the season against Nationals RHP Max Scherzer (11-8, 2.22), who is 2-0 with 1.29 ERA against his former team.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Blake Snell...

Associated Press

Blake Snell and San Francisco Giants agree to $62 million, 2-year contract, AP source says

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract.

5 hours ago

Zac Gallen...

Damon Allred

Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen named Opening Day starter

The Arizona Diamondbacks named Zac Gallen the starter for Opening Day on March 28 when the Colorado Rockies come to Chase Field.

7 hours ago

Merrill Kelly...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen building strong outings with Opening Day near

Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly followed Zac Gallen's scoreless outing Sunday with one of his own Monday against the Athletics.

8 hours ago

Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder...

Kevin Zimmerman

D-backs’ Alek Thomas found confidence with just 2 swings in 2023 playoffs

Two Alek Thomas home runs during the 2023 playoff run for the Arizona Diamondbacks helped build his confidence. You can guess one of them.

11 hours ago

Alek Thomas...

Alex Weiner

NL West preview: Where do the Diamondbacks fit in a new-look division?

No division was more prevalent in the news cycle than the NL West. Here's a preview of the Dodgers, D-backs, Giants, Padres and Giants.

16 hours ago

Corbin Martin...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks option RHPs Corbin Martin, Slade Cecconi in final week of spring training

The Diamondbacks continued to clear up roster battles by optioning pitchers Corbin Martin, Slade Cecconi and Blake Walston Triple-A.

16 hours ago

Zack Godley’s fine start continues, D-backs beat Nationals 6-4