Chris Taylor hit a two-run double to spark Los Angeles’ four-run sixth inning and the Dodgers went on to defeat the host Washington Nationals 8-5 while dealing with a lengthy rain delay Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.
J.D. Martinez, Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez homered for the Dodgers (86-54), who have won consecutive games for the first time this month.
Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 for Los Angeles, with his 53rd double setting a single-season franchise record. Muncy and Hernandez both had two hits.
Keibert Ruiz and CJ Abrams hit home runs for the Nationals (63-78), who have lost six of seven games on a homestand that has two games remaining.
Alex Vesia (1-5) got the win after throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Emmet Sheehan, who made it through 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits. Evan Phillips struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 22nd save.
MacKenzie Gore lasted four innings as Washington’s starter, giving up four runs on six hits while yielding three home runs. Robert Garcia (0-2) surrendered two runs in two-thirds of an inning.
There was a 94-minute rain delay in the top of the seventh inning in a game that already had been slow-moving in stretches. The contest resumed after 11 p.m., but neither team recorded a hit the rest of the way.
The Dodgers began the scoring with Martinez’s two-run home run in the first inning, his 26th long ball of the season.
Washington countered in the bottom of the inning with Ruiz’s three-run shot, his 17th of the season.
Muncy socked his 33rd home run and Hernandez his ninth to give the Dodgers the lead with solo shots in the fourth inning. Abrams smashed his 16th, a two-run long ball, to put Washington on top 5-4 through five innings.
The Dodgers had hits against three different Nationals relievers in the sixth inning, and they added three walks and a sacrifice fly to produce the 8-5 lead.
–Field Level Media
