Nats slide into split with Giants, hurt by Victor Robles’s extra-inning base-running gaffe

But on Saturday afternoon, the trade deadline felt miles away because the Nationals not only beat the best team in the NL but also beat its ace, Kevin Gausman. Gausman had not allowed an earned run in his past four starts, a stretch of 24 innings by the time Schwarber smashed a fastball into the second deck to lead off the first. Finnegan threw a scoreless sixth. Hand closed it out, which allowed the Nationals to head into the second game with Rodriguez starting and a handful of fresh relievers behind him — as convenient of a situation as they could have hoped for, considering the circumstances.