Gio Gonzalez, Nationals snap Cubs 4-game win streak

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Gio Gonzalez threw eight scoreless innings while his offense hit eight doubles to snap the Chicago Cubs four-game win streak in a 13-0 loss to the Washington Nationals Saturday afternoon.

Gonzalez has the Cubs number having now thrown 30 shutout innings.

Carlos Villanueva made an emergency start for the Cubs after scheduled starter Jeff Samardzija was traded to the Oakland Athletics with fellow starter Jason Hammel the night before. Villanueva gave up three straight hits to start the game and went just two innings in his first start since May.

The Nationals scored four earned runs on five hits off Villanueva and only struck out twice. Chris Rusin was called up after the trade and entered in relief and allowed five earned runs, striking out four and walking one over 3 2/3 innings.

The Nationals eight doubles was a season-high for the team with Ian Desmond, Anthony Rendon, and Jason Werth each hitting two.

Desmond singled in the second then the Nationals scored six runs in the third off doubles by Desmond, Rendon, Werth and a pair of base-hits for a 7-0 lead. Werth doubled again in the sixth and Adam LaRoche added a single for two more runs before the Nationals added four runs in the seventh.

The Cubs will send Jake Arrieta (5-1) to the mound in the series finale and will be opposed by Jordan Zimmerman (6-4) on Sunday at 12:35 p.m. CT on WGN.

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