Nationals 3, Cubs 0 (1st): Anthony Rendon recorded three hits and an RBI while Gio Gonzalez pitched seven scoreless innings as visiting Washington took the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Denard Span collected two hits, scored a run and had an outfield assist and Nate McLouth added two singles as the Nationals halted a three-game losing streak. Gonzalez (5-4) allowed two hits, walked a pair and struck out seven to win his second straight start after going winless in his previous six.

Chicago starter Dallas Beeler (0-1) struck out six in his major-league debut while allowing one unearned run on four hits and three walks over six innings. The Cubs, who had won the first two games of the series, finished with only three hits and did not get a runner past second base.

Beeler gave up one hit in the first three innings and erased it with a double play while notching a single in his first major-league at-bat in the third. But after Span was picked off for the second out in the sixth, Rendon doubled and moved to third on a passed ball before scoring when Beeler’s pitch in the dirt got by catcher John Baker.

Span singled with one out in the eighth and came around on a triple to right-center field by Rendon, who later scored on Adam LaRoche’s sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead. Tyler Clippard struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning and Rafael Soriano earned his 19th save with a perfect ninth to finish the Nationals’ 10th shutout.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rendon is 6-for-12 in the series, improving his batting average to .282. … The Nationals recalled RHP Blake Treinen, who will start the second game of the twinbill, and LHP Xavier Cedeno while optioning RHP Taylor Hill to Triple-A Syracuse. … Beeler was the first Cubs pitcher to make his major-league debut in a starting role since Chris Rusin (Aug. 21, 2012) and just the 17th since the start of the 2000 season.