Gio Gonzalez threw eight scoreless innings, and Ian Desmond homered twice to key a 13-hit attack, lifting Washington to an 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.
Gonzalez (9-4, 3.50 ERA) scattered seven hits over eight innings, striking out six and walking one.
Desmond’s homers, his 13th and 14th, came sandwiched around a five-run sixth that chased Brett Anderson (6-7, 3.43 ERA).
UVA alum Ryan Zimmerman was 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI double, extending his RBI streak to eight games.
Washington (58-53) is a game and a half back of the New York Mets (60-52) in the National League East, and five games out of the second NL wild-card spot.