Field Level Media
Aug 4, 2019
Eduardo Escobar had seven RBIs, and Arizona hit three home runs against Stephen Strasburg, ending his seven-start winning streak by smashing the Washington Nationals 18-7 on Saturday night in Phoenix.
Strasburg (14-5) was staked to a 2-0 lead before he took the mound but then gave up a season-high nine runs.
Escobar hit a two-run home run in the first inning to tie the game and crushed a three-run shot in the eighth off second baseman Brian Dozier, the second of two position players to pitch in the inning.
Nick Ahmed and Jake Lamb also homered off Strasburg as Arizona chased the right-hander after 4 2/3 innings and pounded him for the second time this season. Strasburg is 11-2 in his past 14 starts, with both losses coming to Arizona.
He gave up a season-high-tying nine hits -- he also allowed nine vs. the D-backs on June 15 -- striking out seven and walking two.
Lamb's two-run homer in a five-run fifth inning was followed by a strikeout, but Ahmed reached base on a wild pitch. That was it for Strasburg after 98 pitches, and Alex Avila greeted reliever Matt Grace with a two-run shot for a 10-4 lead.
Arizona starter Robbie Ray (10-7) pitched five innings, giving up four runs and six hits, striking out five. He did not walk a batter for the second consecutive start.
Arizona's Ketel Marte had a triple and scored three runs. Escobar had three of Arizona's 15 hits and drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh off Tanner Rainey, who walked four of six batters.
First baseman Gerardo Parra, who hit a two-run triple in the fourth, made his pitching debut in the eighth. The 32-year-old lefty hit the low 90s with his fastball but will have an ERA of infinity after failing to retire any of the five batters he faced, walking four. Arizona walked 11 times in the game.
Dozier, also making his pitching debut at 32, gave up two hits and two of the seven runs in the eighth.
Washington's Anthony Rendon hit his 24th home run, a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth.
Arizona ended Washington's seven-game winning streak at Chase Field, dating to the 2017 season.
--Field Level Media