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WASHINGTON -- Ryan Zimmerman came forward to make a head-high running catch on a slicing line drive off the bat of Chase Utley, a routine play that drew a disproportionately grand ovation from the home fans. "Thats almost the awkward part of it," Zimmerman said. "Yeah, I caught the ball. Yeah, like, I can catch a fly ball." He might have been embarrassed by all the fuss, but it was nevertheless a landmark moment in career of the player long considered the face of the Washington Nationals franchise. It was his first putout as an outfielder after more than 1,100 games as a third baseman, part of a good night all around for him and his club Tuesday in a 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Jordan Zimmermann rebounded from a mini-slump to throw eight scoreless innings, Zimmerman hit a pair of doubles and handled his two chances with aplomb in left field, and the Nationals moved back to .500 by taking the opener of the three-game series. "Theres nothing like getting into the first game and getting a couple of balls," Zimmerman said. "And getting a couple of hits helped, too." Zimmermann (4-2) allowed five hits and struck out four, recovering well from four middling starts that had raised his usually impeccable ERA to 4.07. He got all the support he needed when the Nationals scored three in the third inning off David Buchanan (1-2), making his third career start. "May was a pretty rough month for me, and hopefully June has better things to come," Zimmermann said. "I wanted to go nine, but eightll be good enough." Zimmerman went 2 for 4 with one RBI after being reinstated before the game following 44 games on the disabled list with a broken right thumb. Of greater interest was his move to the outfield, a switch necessitated by his throwing problems and the need for a strong hitter to play left field while Bryce Harper recovers from thumb surgery. Zimmerman said he was initially hesitant to try the outfield, but he realized his chronic shoulder problems mean his days as a regular third baseman are numbered. Ever the team player, he said he just wanted to help the club win -- even if theres likely not a Gold Glove in it for him, like the one he won playing third in 2009. "I feel like Im athletic enough to at least blend in," he said. "And not cause problems." Like many infielders-turned-outfielders before him, he learned the action isnt as fast and furious when stationed 300 feet from home plate. Playing deeper than a usual left fielder and using a glove borrowed from teammate Jayson Werth, he fielded only the liner from Utley and a shallow flyout by Marlon Byrd in the sixth before being removed for defensive replacement Nate McLouth after seven innings. There was no complaint about the lack of work. "That means our pitchers are doing a good job," Zimmerman said. "I just catch what comes to me." Its Zimmermans bat thats really needed by the Nationals, who slumped at the plate for most of last month and have been hovering around .500 in the NL East. They started hitting better in a weekend series against the Texas Rangers, however, and have scored 26 runs in their last four games. Zimmerman doubled to left in the second and to right in the fifth, and each time a black padded glove was brought to him to wear to protect his thumb as he ran the bases. Werth added a two-run double in the third, Denard Span had three hits, and Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon homered for the Nationals. The Phillies lost their fourth straight and were shut out for the eighth time this season, failing to get any impetus from a pregame team meeting called by manager Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg addressed focus and fundamentals, but theres only so much the manager could do about Zimmermanns mid-90s fastball and debilitating slider. Philadelphia is 9-18 since May 4. "We werent able to get anything going offensively, got shut down by a good pitcher," Sandberg said. "He kind of set the tone for the game." NOTES: The Phillies optioned RHP Phillippe Aumont to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and recalled RHP Ethan Martin from Lehigh Valley. ... Philadelphia signed RHP Jason Marquis to a minor league contract. He will report to Class-A Clearwater for extended spring training. ... Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez, on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed pitching shoulder, will make a rehab start with Single-A Potomac on Friday. Custom San Diego Padres Jerseys . The NFLs Defensive Rookie of the Year will be named at the NFL Honours Award show on February 1. The 23-year-old 2013 second-rounder out of Oregon becomes the third Bills linebacker to win the honour after Jim Haslett (1979) and Shane Conlan (1987. Randy Jones Jersey . I wondered how NHL coaches would feel about a playoff schedule that allowed them to open a best-of-seven series on the road, which many claim to favour, yet still gave them the precious home-ice edge for a seventh game. http://www.padressale.com/padres-rickey-henderson-jersey/. - Skiing far more aggressively than in her season debut a day earlier, Lindsey Vonn was in provisional 10th place after the first 45 skiers in a World Cup downhill on Saturday. Rollie Fingers Jersey . Knapp defeated American Alison Riske 6-3, 7-5 to secure Italys victory in the best-of-five series. She held a 5-2 lead in the second set, only to let Riske tie it at five. Ozzie Smith Jersey . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games.SAN DIEGO -- Miguel Montero and the Arizona Diamondbacks are moving up. Montero hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, lifting the Diamondbacks past the Padres 3-1 on Saturday night and out of last place in the NL West. The Diamondbacks started the season 8-22. With the win, they moved percentage points ahead of the Padres in the standings at 35-48. "I guess its good to get out of last place," Montero said. "I hope we continue like that and see where we are going." Montero struck out against Eric Stults in his first at-bat but connected for his 11th home run next time up. The homer came on a changeup, something he had missed on in his earlier at-bat. When Stults tried to fool him later, Montero was ready. "I put a good swing on that one," he said. "It was middle, middle-in, and sometimes those are pulled foul. But it stayed fair so I guess I stayed inside the ball very good." Josh Collmenter (6-5) pitched 5 1-3 innings, giving up one run and five hits as Arizona won consecutive games for the first time since June 7-8 against Atlanta. Addison Reed worked the ninth inning for his 19th save in 22 chances. He was the fourth Arizona reliever, a group which didnt allow a hit or run over the final 3 2-3 innings. "I kind of wished I would have gone deeper in the game," Collmenter said. "But the bullpen did a great job tonight." Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson saluted his bullpen as well, and noted it was a typical game at Petco Park. "Its hard to score in this park and we played just well enough to win," he said. It was difficult for Padres manager Bud Black to accept the loss, the Padres third straight defeat. "One bad pitch," Black said of Stults offering to Montero. "Tried to get a changeup down and away and he just missed his spot." Stults (2-11) became the majors leader in losses, with an NL-high 5.36 ERA. He also went 5 1-3 innings and yielded three runs -- two earned -- while giving up just three hits. Stults walked three for the second straight game and stuck out two in losing his career-high sixth consecutive start. Paul Goldschmidt was aboard for Montteros homer, after walking and reaching second on a botched double-play attempt.dddddddddddd Martin Prado grounded to Chase Headley, but his throw to second baseman Alexi Amarista was high, with Goldschmidt being safe. Amarista retired Prado at first, a play which was challenged by Gibson but upheld. "I just got underneath it a little bit and it sailed," Headley said. "Lexi did a great job to make a play and get an out still." When Stults hit Cody Ross right after Montero homered, he was pulled in favour of Alex Torres. He prevented further damage by getting Gerardo Parra and Collmenter on grounders to first base. Matt Stites relieved Collmenter in the sixth inning, and walked Cameron Maybin to load the bases with two outs. But Rene Rivera, who had two hits, struck out. The Diamondbacks tied the score in the third inning, thanks in part to an error by Rivera. Ender Inciarte singled and stole second, advancing to third when Riveras throw was off line. Inciarte scored on Prados one-out sacrifice fly. Tommy Medica drove in the games first run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Chris Denorfia opened the inning with a double and took third on Seth Smiths grounder to first base. The Padres threatened in the fifth inning when Rivera led off with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Everth Cabrera. But Amarista flied out and Stults struck out. NOTES: Diamondbacks SS Chris Owings remains out of the lineup with a sore left shoulder. Owings is expected to have it examined on Monday. . OF Mark Trumbo has started to run the bases in his comeback from a broken left foot. . Gibson had no update on when RHP Bronson Arroyo (sprained right elbow) would return. . Padres OF Carlos Quentin (sore left shoulder) is likely unavailable until next week. . RHP Andrew Cashner (sore right shoulder) has yet to resume throwing. . The Padres had gone eight straight games without allowing a home run before Monteros two-run blast. . Diamondbacks RHP Michael Bolsinger (1-3, 4.78) faces Padres RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (1-0, 0.00) in Sundays series finale. 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