After a clean first inning, Williams gave up a solo homer to Matt Mervis in the second. The Marlins brought two more runs in on a sacrifice fly and wild pitch in the third. Williams then allowed three more runs in the fifth before his day was done. The 32-year-old right-hander lines up for a start against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Williams got off to a rocky start when he coughed up a leadoff triple to Corbin Carroll, who scored on ensuing batter Geraldo Perdomo’s sacrifice fly, and a second-inning solo shot to light-hitting catcher Jose Herrera. He managed to keep Arizona’s high-powered offense scoreless until the fifth inning when Pavin Smith drilled a run-scoring single with two outs in the frame. He tallied six strikeouts and only issued a pair of walks. He’s in line for a favorable matchup next Sunday when he squares off against the Marlins down at loanDepot park.

This is the Williams we remember, not the guy who somehow never gave up more than six hits in any of his 13 starts last year. All of the knocks were singles, and he didn’t walk anyone, so he was able to keep the Nationals in the game. However, while the offense was able to tie the game at 3-3 in the seventh, the bullpen lost it from there.

Williams ends the spring with a 3.93 ERA and a 19/3 K/BB in 18 1/3 innings. He’s expected to start the Nationals’ second game of the season Saturday versus the Phillies.