The Los Angeles Dodgers put together a six-run rally in the first inning and rode that to a 7-1 win against the Washington Nationals to avoid being swept and end their homestand on a positive note.
After Mookie Betts narrowly missed hitting a second leadoff home run in as many games, Patrick Corbin was one strike away from completing a scoreless first inning. However, he wound up walking Will Smith and it led to a world of trouble.
Justin Turner hit an RBI single in his first at-bat since last Thursday, and Trayce Thompson followed that with a base hit to score Smith. Hanser Alberto added a two-run double and Austin Barnes kept the rally going with an RBI single.
Corbin should have been out of the disastrous inning after that, but Gavin Lux’s fly ball to the right-center field gap dropped for a two-run double because of miscommunication between Victor Robles and Juan Soto.
Betts singled for his second hit of the inning, which knocked Corbin out of the game. The 0.2 innings pitched represented Corbin’s shortest start of his career. The Dodgers’ six runs are the most they have scored in the first inning this season.
L.A. went quiet until Lux’s RBI single in the eighth inning, but Andrew Heaney and the bullpen upheld the comfortable lead.
Making his first start since June 19, Heaney allowed just one hit, issued three walks and collected four strikeouts over four scoreless innings. Heaney was considered fully stretched out, but the Dodgers intend to keep him on a soft pitch count in the interest of health.
Heaney threw 71 pitches in his return from the 15-day injured list.
Phil Bickford and Alex Vesia followed Heaney with one scoreless inning each. Jake Reed allowed one run over his 1.1 innings, and David Price got the final four outs of the game.
Dodgers get Freeman and Turner rest
Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman have started each of the Dodgers’ games this season, and Wednesday provided a rare opportunity to get both some rest. Freeman was removed in the fifth inning, and Turner came out in the seventh.
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