Fifth-inning rally stakes Nats to 3-0 advantage (Fister, Nats win 4-2)

So much for the notion that yesterday's baserunning follies were a one-game aberration.

The Nationals ran themselves out of a possible rally in the first inning of today's game against the Reds, after Anthony Rendon had walked and stolen second. Jayson Werth shot a ground ball deep into the hole at short and Rendon, perhaps thinking it would sneak through, took off for third.

Shortstop Ramon Santiago gloved the ball and easily caught Rendon at third base.

Yesterday, a couple of baserunning gaffes by Bryce Harper loomed large in a 1-0 loss. Hopefully, the same won't be said today.

While the Nats are having trouble generating offense against righty Mat Latos - they're hitless through three innings - sinkerballer Doug Fister has blanked the Reds on one hit through two frames.

It's scoreless at Great American Ball Park heading to the bottom of the third.

Update: It took until the fifth inning, but the Nats finally have a hit on the board, courtesy of Danny Espinosa's line single to center leading off the frame.

That hit started a downward spiral for Latos, who suddenly lost his composure with two down after Fister sacrificed Espinosa to second. Denard Span walked, Rendon was hit by a pitch and Werth drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch witht he bases loaded to give the Nats a 1-0 lead. Adam LaRoche followed with a two-run single to left.

Update II: Latos is done after six innings. He allowed three runs on three hits, walked four and struck out six on 99 pitches. Conversely, Fister started the sixth at a 65 pitches.

Through six innings, Fister is cruising. He's allowed only two hits and walked one with three strikeouts on 79 pitches.

Update III: Tyler Clippard is on for the eighth, meaning Fister's day is done. Fister worked seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He threw 104 pitches, 76 for strikes.

Update IV: An RBI single by Rendon in the top of the ninth pushed the Nats' lead to 4-0.

In the bottom of the inning, Aaron Barrett put two runners on via singles with none out and was relieved by Rafael Soriano, who surrendered a two-run double to left-center by Devin Mesoraco. But Soriano retired the next three hitters for his 25th save.

Fister joins Tanner Roark as a 10-game winner.

For the first time in the 12-year history of Great American Ball Park, a three-game series was played without a home run being hit. Before today, there had been 79 games where a home run was not hit, and only four times where no balls left the park over a two-game period.