Samardzija has struggled with command this season, especially since the All-Star break, entering Monday with a 5.09 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in those six starts. On Monday, the Samardzija of 2012 returned, as the Nationals were 2-for-18 on at-bats ending with a pitch in the upper half of the strike zone, and he averaged 3.3 pitches per plate appearance, one of his most efficient outings of 2013. Only one of the six hits he allowed went for extra bases, a solo home run by Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, and Samardzija registered just his third walk-free outing of the season. He walked four Cincinnati Reds in his previous start, after opening August by issuing five free passes against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Monday's version, in which he threw first-pitch strikes to 19 of 32 hitters, was considerably cleaner.