Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Match Player Stats On Oct 07, 2019

Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer, Anthony Rendon drove in three runs, and the Washington Nationals pulled away for a 6-1 win over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Monday night.

Washington evened the best-of-five series at 2-2 and forced a decisive Game 5 on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. Both teams have won one game at home and one game on the road.

Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer (1-0) stymied the Dodgers over seven quality innings on short rest. He gave up one run on four hits while walking three and striking out seven. The 35-year-old threw 72 of 109 pitches for strikes.

"You just can't say enough about him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Scherzer. "He just sort of wills his way to getting outs. ... So I guess the one solace is we don't need to see him in Game 5."

Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias (0-1) gave up three runs on three hits while recording only two outs in his relief stint. He was one of five relievers to follow starting left-hander Rich Hill, who allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings.

"I think that Rich, all night, the depth of the curveball, it just wasn't quite there," Roberts said. "I think that the curveball was up all night, and the finish wasn't quite there."

The Dodgers opened the scoring with Justin Turner's solo shot in the first inning. Turner pulled a 95 mph fastball over the wall in left field for his second homer of the series and the ninth postseason homer of his career.

The Nationals pulled even in the third. Rendon hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Michael A. Taylor.

In the fifth, the Nationals added four more runs to seize a 5-1 advantage. Rendon singled to left field to drive in Trea Turner, and Zimmerman slammed a three-run homer three batters later. Zimmerman, who increased his total to four career postseason homers, has 13 postseason RBIs, breaking a tie with Bryce Harper (10) for the franchise record.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of Zimmerman's homer, "For me, in those moments, I take a look real quick at the dugout. That's what fires me up is the guys. Because they were battling hard. And when those big moments come, you can see it in their faces.

"It's huge, it's incredible, it's a feeling that I can't describe, really. But to go on top like that and Max is on the mound, that's the burst we needed."

Washington padded its lead in the sixth with another sacrifice fly from Rendon, who has four RBIs in four games this series after tallying 126 RBIs during the regular season to lead the majors.

Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but the comeback bid stalled when Chris Taylor struck out swinging and Joc Pederson grounded out to second base to end the inning.

Left-hander Sean Doolittle and right-hander Daniel Hudson combined for two scoreless innings of relief for the Nationals.

Martinez said of Scherzer, "He did everything we asked him to do and more. I came in and I'm not going to say jokingly, but I was hoping he would go eight (innings). But he gave us seven, and we handed the ball to Doo and Huddie."

--Field Level Media