• Grand slams mean 40% off pizza
Finnegan was finished after the grand slam to end the worst start in his young career. He allowed a career-high eight runs on five hits with five walks in 2 1/3 innings, the shortest start of his career.
The Nationals had lost each of left-hander Gio Gonzalez's last seven starts, but he bounced back a bit with his outing. He struck out nine batters in six innings, but allowed four runs, including a three-run sixth by the Reds highlighted by a solo homer from Joey Votto.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Power punch for Espinosa: Espinosa's career night included a homer from both sides of the plate, seven RBIs (the most by any Nationals player in a single game since Josh Willingham drove in eight in 2009) and a pair of curtain calls from the fans at Nationals Park. Espinosa was the focus of criticism at the start of this month, with some wondering why he was the starting shortstop while Trea Turner, the team's top hitting prospect, stayed in the Minors. But Espinosa has done his best to quell any of that with a stellar month of June, batting .309 with nine homers and 21 RBIs.
Espinosa's three-run home run
CIN@WSH: Espinosa mashes his second homer of the game
Danny Espinosa crushes his second home run of the game, a three-run tater that scores Ryan Zimmerman and Chris Heisey
Rally that fizzled: The Reds had Gonzalez on the defensive to open the game with the bases loaded and no outs three batters into the first inning on Zack Cozart's walk, Votto's double and Brandon Phillips being hit by a pitch. Jay Bruce's double-play ball yielded the lone run from the rally before Adam Duvall flied out.
Cozart opens the scoring
CIN@WSH: Cozart scores the first run of the game
Jay Bruce hits a ground ball to second that Daniel Murphy handles for a 4-6-3 double play, but Zack Cozart scores from third
WHAT'S NEXT
Reds: Coming off two nice starts, including eight scoreless innings his last time out, Anthony DeSclafani will take the ball when the series continues at 6:05 p.m. ET on Friday. DeSclafani is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in five career games (two starts) vs. Washington.
Nationals: The Nats will go for their sixth straight win as right-hander Tanner Roark takes the mound Friday night. Roark had his shortest outing of the season against the Reds in Cincinnati earlier this month, when he allowed five runs on seven hits in three innings.
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Jamal Collier covers the Nationals for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jamalcollier.
Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Read his blog, Mark My Word, follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Espinosa powers Nats' rout with slam, 7 RBIs
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