Game 2: Nats at Cubs, April 7, 2012

Henry Rodriguez congratulated after his HOV-3.
AP

A second game, and a second win for the Nats as they downed the Chicago Cubs 7-4 and claimed their first series win of the 2012 season.  Gio Gonzalez grinned through his Nats debut, but Ryan Mattheus got the win over Kerry Wood.  Hot Rod Henry Rodriguez got the save, and the pitching staff sent thirteen Cubs down K Street.

First Inning: Gonzalez wasted no time by striking out Reed Johnson to record his first out as a Nat.

Second Inning: Gonzalez introduced his Cubs counterpart, Matt Garza, to K Street, and sent Johnson packing again to earn his first HOV-2.

Third Inning: Gonzalez added to his tally after he struck out Jeff Baker.

Fourth Inning: Another HOV-2 for Gonzalez after Darwin Barney and Garza slugged with him down K Street.

Sixth Inning: Craig Stammen relieved Gonzalez and rung up Baker.

Seventh Inning: Ryan Mattheus became the third Nats pitcher to ring up a Cub and earn an HOV-2 by sitting down ex-Nat Alfonso Soriano and Baker.

Eighth Inning: Tyler Clippard added another Cub to K Street when Johnson struck out for the third time.

Ninth Inning: Rodriguez earned the save and the first HOV-3 of the season by striking out Starlin Castro, Blake DeWitt, and Baker for a third time.  Rodriguez’s strikeouts brought the staff total to an astounding thirteen Ks on the day.

Notables:

• Rodriguez earned the first HOV-3 of the season.
• Johnson and Baker took over the single-game E-ZPass from Marlon Byrd by striking out three times each.
• Strikeouts in the game: 13.
• Strikeouts in the 2012 season: 20.