Field Level Media
Jul 27, 2019
Will Smith homered, doubled twice and drove in six runs to help lift the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-3 win against the Washington Nationals in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon.
Smith, a rookie catcher who was playing in his 10th major-league game after getting recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, hit a solo homer in the third after the Nationals had taken an early 2-0 lead.
He added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, an RBI double in the sixth and a three-double in the seventh.
Max Muncy and Cory Bellinger had two hits each for the Dodgers.
Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw (9-2) went six innings, allowing two runs and three hits. The three-time NL Cy Young winner struck out nine and walked three.
The Nationals sent Matt Grace to the mound, the first time in team history they used an opener, and he retired the side in order in the first two innings.
Washington scored twice in the first off Kershaw, who came in with a 5.82 ERA in the first inning compared to 2.84 overall this season.
Adam Eaton tripled home leadoff hitter Trea Turner and he came home on a sacrifice fly by Juan Soto for a 2-0 lead.
Joe Ross (0-3) took over in the third and was greeted by Smith's leadoff homer, his fourth with Los Angeles this season.
The Dodgers tied in the fourth after Bellinger drew a nine-pitch walk, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Muncy's single to left.
Seager then hit a ball into the right-center field gap to drive in Muncy for a 3-2 lead. Seager took third on the play on an error by Eaton in right and scored on Smith's deep sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.
Smith's double in the sixth made it 5-2 and he cleared the bases in the seventh made it 9-2.
Yan Gomes homered in the seventh for Washington to cut the lead to 9-3.
--Field Level Media