Chris Taylor hit a three-run home run and AJ Pollock added a three-run double as the Los Angeles Dodgers moved one win away from their first series sweep of the season with a 9-5 victory at home Saturday over the Washington Nationals.
Zach McKinstry had a two-run single and Justin Turner drove in a run with a double as Los Angeles clinched its third series in three tries and improved to 2-0 at home.
Juan Soto hit his first two home runs of the season for the Nationals, while left-hander Patrick Corbin (0-1) struggled to the tune of six runs on six hits with three walks over 4 1/3 innings of his season debut after returning from the COVID-19 list.
The Nationals dropped their fourth consecutive game after winning their COVID-19 delayed season opener on April 6.
The Nationals jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Starlin Castro in the first inning. McKinstry's two-run single in the second gave the Dodgers the lead for good with Taylor adding his three-run blast, his first, for a 5-1 advantage in the same inning.
Turner gave the Dodgers a 6-1 lead with an RBI double in the fifth inning.
The Nationals got their offense on track in the sixth inning. Soto hit a one-out home run and four batters later, Yan Gomes had an RBI single to pull the Nationals within 6-3 while knocking Dodgers starter Julio Urias from the game.
Urias (2-0) gave up three runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh and Pollock brought home all three runners against right-hander Kyle Finnegan with a double to left.
Soto hit his second home run, a two-run shot, with the Nationals down to their last strike in the ninth inning.
Washington's Ryan Zimmerman had three hits, his first three-hit game since Sept. 21, 2019, after he sat out last year's abbreviated season. Jordy Mercer, who was making his debut after returning from the COVID-19 list, also had three hits for Washington.
--Field Level Media
Washington | LA Dodgers | |
Patrick Corbin | Player | Julio Urias |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.1 | IP | 5.2 |
5 | Strikeouts | 3 |
6 | Hits | 9 |
12.46 | ERA | 4.76 |
Washington | LA Dodgers | |
Jordy Mercer | Player | Max Muncy |
3 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 2 |
.750 | Avg | 1.000 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Washington | 15 | 2 | 21 | .385 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
LA Dodgers | 9 | 1 | 16 | .281 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 |