Field Level Media
Aug 14, 2019
Adam Eaton and Kurt Suzuki each belted a three-run homer to highlight a 10-run, nine-hit fifth inning as the host Washington Nationals posted a 17-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Suzuki added an RBI single as part of a six-run sixth inning, and Asdrubal Cabrera collected three hits and three RBIs for the Nationals, who completed a sweep after erupting for a season high in runs.
Washington batted around in both the fifth and the sixth innings and saw each position player in its starting lineup record at least one hit and score two runs.
Stephen Strasburg (15-5) matched a career high for wins in a season after allowing four runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old also had 15 victories in 2012, 2016 and 2017.
Tucker Barnhart and Freddy Galvis each launched a two-run homer, and rookie Aristides Aquino belted his ninth homer in 13 games for the Reds, who lost their fourth in a row.
Strasburg began the fifth-inning uprising, slapping an RBI single into shallow right field to plate Suzuki and give the Nationals a 2-1 lead.
Trea Turner extended his on-base streak to 22 games with an RBI single before Eaton and Anthony Rendon crushed back-to-back homers off Trevor Bauer (10-9) to push Washington's advantage to 7-1.
Eaton deposited a 3-2 fastball over the wall in center field for a three-run shot, and Rendon followed suit by sending an 0-1 curveball to center for his career-best 26th homer.
After allowing a single and a walk, Bauer was relieved by Sal Romano, who promptly surrendered an RBI double to Cabrera on a fly ball to left field that fell out of the glove of Phillip Ervin as he collided with the wall.
Suzuki provided the exclamation point with a three-run homer to center field, giving the Nationals an 11-1 advantage. Suzuki's 13th homer of the season closed the book on Bauer, who was charged for a career-high nine runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Cincinnati cut the deficit to 11-4 after Barnhart's blast in the top of the sixth, but Washington erased any hint of a comeback as Cabrera belted a two-run double to highlight a six-run effort in the bottom of the inning.
--Field Level Media