Nationals 5, Marlins 0: Gio Gonzalez cooled off Miami's bats with six strong innings and red-hot Anthony Rendon drove in three runs as host Washington continued its mastery of the Marlins.

Adam LaRoche had three hits, an RBI and scored twice while Rendon, who has a hit in every game this season, added two in this one as the Nationals defeated Miami for the 15th time in the last 20 meetings, including 10 of 11 at home. Gonzalez (2-0) allowed three hits, walked two, struck out five and retired the last 10 batters he faced.

Giancarlo Stanton had one of four hits for the Marlins, who led the majors with 42 runs through Sunday's games after scoring the fewest in 2013. Henderson Alvarez (0-2) allowed three runs (one earned) and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, and was nearly out of the sixth inning down only 1-0 before an error led to two runs.

Bryce Harper singled with one out in the sixth, advanced to third on LaRoche's two-out single and came home when catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia's throw to second in an attempt to nail LaRoche after a wild pitch trickled out of Jeff Baker's glove. After Ian Desmond walked, Rendon ripped a run-scoring single to left-center.

Washington extended its lead to 5-0 in the eighth when Jayson Werth walked and LaRoche singled with one out, and two batters later, Rendon drove them in with a double off the wall in left-center. The Nationals scored in the first after Werth doubled with two outs and LaRoche delivered an RBI single to left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Washington 3B Ryan Zimmerman did not play because of an arthritic throwing shoulder, which could lead to playing time at first base. ... Rendon, 11-for-27 with a homer and eight RBIs in 2014, started at third for the second straight game and helped stop a rally by throwing out Reed Johnson on an attempted bunt base hit with runners on first and second and one out in the seventh inning. ... Harper went 1-for-4 and is 4-for-25 to start the season.