Nationals 3, Marlins 0

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) --Hanley Ramirez was heading out to his customary shortstop spot after Tuesday's first inning. Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez had other plans.

With less than two weeks left before the season begins, the Marlins aren't taking any undue risks.

So last season's NL Rookie of the Year sat in the clubhouse with ice wrapped around his strained right groin for the remainder of the day, while his teammates dropped a spring training game 3-0 to the Washington Nationals. But Ramirez insisted afterward that it was a minor issue.

"It's fine. I just want to make sure everything's OK," Ramirez said. "I wanted to stay in. I was on my way to the field."

Ramirez said the groin issue has been a problem for a couple of days, then quickly added that ordinarily, he wouldn't have even sought treatment. The Marlins are off Wednesday, then play St. Louis Thursday.

"You've got to like that, a guy who wants to play the game," Gonzalez said. "I almost had to get him out myself, physically. That's good to see. I didn't want to take any chances, any shots with him."

Ramirez is the Marlins' leadoff man, their offensive sparkplug who hit .292 with 17 home runs, 59 RBIs and 51 stolen bases last season. Based on the way Florida has hit the ball this year, the Marlins will need Ramirez dearly when the season opens in Washington on April 2.

Florida managed six hits Tuesday, dropping the team's average to .215. Nationals starter Matt Chico kept the Marlins silent over his four innings, allowing only two hits and running his spring scoreless streak to eight innings.

"This kid can pitch," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "Is he going to have some rough outings out there? We all do, once in a while. But he hasn't looked overmatched in one of his outings, so I think he's going to be fine and able to handle anything that comes his way."

The way Acta was talking, it sounded like Chico -- who has never pitched above Double-A -- can pack his bags for the big leagues.

"He can't be celebrating yet," Acta said, "but he's pretty close."

Washington -- which has won three of its last four games, outscoring teams 26-5 over that span -- opened the scoring in the fourth when Michael Restovich singled and scored three batters later on Joe Thurston's single off Florida starter Ricky Nolasco.

The Nationals added two unearned runs in the ninth, the first coming across on Robert Fick's single, the second coming when the Marlins tried to tag Fick out between first and second on the same play. Fick dove back safely.

Nolasco gave up one run and five hits in 4 2-3 innings.

"It went all right," said Nolasco, who didn't realize he threw 79 pitches. "I felt good, thought I commanded the ball on the outside corner pretty good. That's what we're trying to work on right now."

Notes:@ RHP Wes Obermueller was reassigned to minor league camp after the game. ... Marlins OF Jeremy Hermida was out of the lineup for the third straight game with a bruised knee. "Day to day," Gonzalez said. ... RHP Pedro Astacio is back with the Nationals -- sort of. Washington released him after he went 5-5 in 2006, but brought the 37-year-old back to minor league camp Tuesday. "It's insurance for us," Acta said. ... Gonzalez said it could be another week before he decides the opening-day center fielder and closer.