WASHINGTON -- A pair of former West Coast players made life difficult for the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Left fielder Howie Kendrick, who played for the Angels from 2006-14, hit two solo home runs, and lefty starter Gio Gonzalez, who played for the Oakland A's from 2008-11, threw six scoreless innings as the Washington Nationals beat the Angels 3-1 in the first of a quick two-game interleague series.

The loss ended the Angels' six-game winning streak.

"Gio has been rolling all year," said Kendrick, who came to the Nationals in late July in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. "I have been keeping an eye on him."

And Angels veteran manager Mike Scioscia has been keeping his eye on Kendrick, his former player who hit a career-high 18 homers for the Angels in 2011.

"He had a walk-off the other day," said Scioscia, noting the grand slam Kendrick hit Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. "He had a couple of pitches that were in his zone and he didn't miss them tonight. You have to tip your cap to him. He hit the ball hard."

Gonzalez has had a better pace this season, and gives a lot of credit to pitching coach Mike Maddux.

"A good pace means you are throwing strikes," said Dusty Baker, the Washington manager.

Gonzalez watched his ERA go up each of the past four seasons. But after posting a mark of 4.57 last year, his ERA is down to 2.49 in 2017. Gonzalez took a no-hitter into the ninth inning July 31 in Miami before giving up a hit.

The lefty from Miami (11-5) walked three and struck out four Tuesday. He didn't give up a hit until there were two outs in the sixth, when Cameron Maybin reached on an infield single.

"We didn't get too many good looks at him. He had good movement, moved the ball around. He definitely put those guys in a good spot and the bullpen held it," said Scioscia.

Mike Trout followed Maybin's hit with a single to center, and Albert Pujols was given an intentional walk to load the bases. That brought up Jefry Marte, who lined out to second to end the threat.

"There is no doubt it ties the game," said Scioscia, who bemoaned the fact that Marte's shot was right at an infielder.

Kendrick hit solo homers in the third and fifth innings to open a 2-0 lead.

Washington's Anthony Rendon (3-for-4) singled and went to second on a wild pitch in the sixth. He then scored on an error by Pujols, who was making just his sixth start of the year at first, on a ball hit by Matt Wieters. That made it 3-0.

Cliff Pennington hit a solo homer in the eighth off Brandon Kintzler to trim the lead to 3-1. It was just the second homer in 151 at-bats for Pennington this year.

Sean Doolittle threw a perfect ninth to get his ninth save with the Nationals (71-46). He came to Washington in late July in a trade with the Oakland A's.

"This is a role I'm capable of pitching in," he said. "It is just a case of coming over here and getting an opportunity."

The Angels (61-59) managed just three hits off four Washington pitchers.

Angels starter Tyler Skaggs (1-3), who has not won a game since April 22, gave up two runs on seven hits in five innings. He was on the disabled list from April 29-Aug. 5 with a right oblique muscle strain.

"There was a lot of work he put in," Scioscia said of Skaggs. "Last time he pitched a real strong game in Seattle. His stuff stayed true at the end. He had to work hard to get through five. He really came back and finished some innings strong. He ran out of gas after five."

Daniel Murphy had two hits for the Nationals.

Kendrick led off the third with a homer just over the glove of left fielder Maybin and into the Angels bullpen. It was the 100th homer of Kendrick's career. Kendrick went deep again in the fifth as he drilled a 3-0 pitch from Skaggs into the seats in right.

The only baserunners Gonzalez allowed through the first five innings came on a walk to Trout in the first and a walk to Pujols in the fourth.

NOTES: Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (right elbow nerve impingement), who last pitched July 23, could make a start this weekend in his native San Diego, manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday. Strasburg threw five innings of one-run ball in a rehab outing Monday for Class A Potomac. ... Angels hitting coach Dave Hansen is not with the team for the two-game series. He is in California due to health reasons, according to the team. ... Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (9-7, 4.74 ERA) will face Angels RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-12, 5.24) on Wednesday. ... The Nationals called up C Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse and sent RHP A.J. Cole to Syracuse.