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Lannan, early offense fuel Nationals' win

Jun 12, 2011 - 4:57 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - John Lannan pitched into the seventh inning and Washington made two first inning runs hold up in a 2-1 triumph over San Diego.

Nationals manager Jim Riggleman decided to shake things up a bit, batting Lannan eighth and putting right fielder Jayson Werth in the lead-off spot. The move didn't pay off for Werth, who went 0-for-4. Brian Bixler, who started in left field for an injured Roger Bernadina (left hamstring tightness), batted ninth, and went 2-for-2.

Lannan (4-5), who limited the Padres to six hits over 6 1/3 innings, put the Nationals in position to have a winning road trip. They are 5-5 and will send Jordan Zimmermann to the mound Sunday in the conclusion of this four-game set.

Lannan continued his mastery on the mound. The lefty has given up just two runs over his last four starts, covering 26 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.68.

"I'm just rolling with it," Lannan said. "The sinker is there, the confidence is there. I just keep on building off each start."

Anthony Rizzo, playing in just his third major league game, homered in the second inning for San Diego.

Clayton Richard (2-8) was charged with five hits over seven innings and he dropped his fourth straight decision.

The Padres had a home run overturned in the fourth inning. Ryan Ludwick hit Lannan's first pitch well over the wall in left, but the ball curved just foul beyond the yellow line. Third base umpire Wally Bell initially ruled home run, but the call was changed upon video review.

Ian Desmond singled with one out in the first and Danny Espinosa then laced an RBI double to left when the ball got by a diving Ludwick.

"If I could redo it, obviously I'd be less aggressive and play it on a hop," Ludwick said. "I really thought I could make that play."

Espinosa stole third, and he scored with two outs on a Wilson Ramos line single right past the head of Richard.

Rizzo homered to right on a first pitch, but the Padres didn't have many opportunities with men in scoring position. Chris Denorfia left a runner at second in the fifth by grounding out.

The best chance for the Padres came in the sixth when they loaded the bases, but Brad Hawpe grounded out weakly to second base, Lannan's 12th ground ball out of the night.

Lannan was lifted for Todd Coffey after pinch-hitter Jorge Cantu singled with one out in the seventh. Coffey retired Denorfia and Jason Bartlett on groundouts to end the inning, stranding Cantu at second.

Drew Storen walked pinch-hitter Kyle Phillips with two outs in the ninth, but he then froze Denorfia with a slider on the outside corner to end the game. It was Storen's 14th save of the year.

Game Notes

This is the first time the Nationals franchise has won consecutive games in San Diego since September 11-12, 1999...Nationals pitcher Jason Marquis decided to drop his appeal and serve his five-game suspension starting Saturday...The Padres celebrated 75 years of baseball in San Diego with their Pacific Coast League throwback night. Padres players wore 1936 Pacific Coast League Padres uniforms while the Nationals sported the 1936 Washington Senators uniforms...This is Richard's second four-game losing streak this season...Nats starters have allowed two earned runs-or-less 10 times in their last 12 games.