Field Level Media
Apr 27, 2018
Arizona center fielder A.J. Pollock had three hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in two as the Diamondbacks beat the Washington Nationals 5-4 in the first game of a three-game series at Nationals Park on Friday.
Pollock homered in the second inning and tripled in a run and scored in a two-run sixth inning when the Diamondbacks (18-7) took the lead for good. They have tied their best start in franchise history, set in 2008.
Daniel Descalso singled, walked, had two RBIs and scored a run for Arizona, which has won its first eight series, the first NL team to do that since the 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers. Seattle won its first nine in 2001.
Howie Kendrick had three hits, including a homer, and Trea Turner and Matt Adams had two hits apiece for the Nationals, who have lost five of six. They had 11 hits but left 10 on base.
Arizona starter Zack Godley (4-1) gave up 10 hits and four runs in five innings, striking out four and walking three. The Nationals loaded the bases off Godley with one out in the fourth inning and no outs in the fifth, yet scored just one run over those two innings.
Four Arizona relievers limited the Nationals to an infield single over the final four innings, and Brad Boxberger pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his seventh save in as many chances.
Stephen Strasburg (2-3) gave up six hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Pollock led off a two-run second inning with his sixth homer before Descalso walked, took second on a groundout and scored on Nick Ahmed's single.
The Nationals took a 3-2 lead in the third inning. Turner singled to lead off the inning and Kendrick homered to center. Bryce Harper walked, took third on Adams' one-out single and scored when Matt Wieters beat out a potential double-play grounder on a play that was reversed on replay review.
Pollock singled with one out in the fourth inning and scored on Descalso's double to tie it at 3.
Wilmer Difo's bases-loaded sacrifice fly gave the Nationals a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning before the Diamondbacks took the lead in a two-run sixth. Pollock tripled in Paul Goldschmidt, who had singled, and scored on Descalso's sacrifice fly.
--Field Level Media