Tyler Skaggs: Nationals' Corbin wears No. 45 to honor former teammate

July 3 (UPI) -- Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin wore No. 45 on Tuesday night in honor of former teammate and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who was found dead Monday in Southlake, Texas.

Corbin normally wears No. 46 but was permitted to wear No. 45 for his start against the Miami Marlins. The first-year Nationals pitcher scattered six hits and struck out seven Marlins hitters in seven innings of one-run ball.

Corbin wrote '45' on the mound to pay tribute to Skaggs.

"He's just all I'm thinking about," Corbin said after the Nationals' 3-2 victory.

Corbin and Skaggs were both drafted by the Angels in June 2009. The two were traded to Arizona together in July 2010 and made their Major League debuts during the 2012 season.

Skaggs attended Corbin's wedding in November.

"You can't believe he's gone," Corbin said. "I think when you have a loss, you want to keep things as normal as you can. And just try to go out there and do what you have to do."

Corbin waited out a 76-minute rain delay in the third inning before returning to the mound. The two-time NL All-Star is 7-5 with a 3.55 ERA in 17 starts this season.