Mitchell Parker threw seven shutout innings in his second career major league appearance as the Washington Nationals held back the visiting Houston Astros 6-0 on Sunday afternoon.
Parker, a left-hander, struck out eight batters – two each in the first, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. He allowed three hits and didn’t issue a walk.
Luis Garcia Jr., who had three hits, and Joey Menenes each drove in two runs. Nick Senzel hit a home run as the Nationals won for the second day in a row to complete the three-game series.
Houston’s Chas McCormick had two of the three hits off Parker.
Parker (2-0) went five innings for a road victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his MLB debut Monday. He was even better in his home debut, needing only 73 pitches to blow through seven innings. He threw 57 strikes.
Relievers Dylan Floro and Matt Barnes each worked an inning in the combined four-hitter. It was the second combined shutout in a four-game span for Washington pitchers.
Just as in Parker’s first game in the big leagues, the Nationals scored in the first inning. CJ Abrams led off with a single, stole second and scored on Jess Winker’s single. Washington tacked on two more runs in the opening inning on Garcia’s two-run single.
Meneses, who delivered the game-winning hit in Saturday’s 10-inning game, supplied a two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning.
Senzel led off the bottom of the sixth with his first home run of the season. He could have added to the Nationals’ run output, but he grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh inning.
Astros starter Hunter Brown (0-4), making an unexpected start, took the loss, giving up three runs in four innings. Scheduled starting pitcher Cristian Javier was scratched because of neck discomfort.
Houston right-hander Shawn Dubin allowed two runs in the fifth.
