The Los Angeles Dodgers were without Mookie Betts on Friday night but depth in their lineup carried the offense for an 8-5 win in a back-and-forth series opener against the Washington Nationals.
Fresh off the 10-day injured list, J.D. Martinez provided Emmet Sheehan with an early lead on his two-run home run in the first inning.
However, the Nationals immediately pulled back ahead, aided by Max Muncy not making a play on an infield single or getting the tag down when CJ Abrams stole third base. The rough stretch culminated with Keibert Ruiz hitting a go-ahead, three-run homer.
That gave Ruiz four home runs in four games against his former team this season.
The Nationals remained ahead until Muncy and Kiké Hernández each hit a solo home run off MacKenzie Gore in the fourth inning. The Dodgers had an opportunity to add onto their lead in the fifth but couldn’t capitalize on loading the bases with nobody out.
That came back to cost them as Jacob Young led off the bottom half of the inning with a double and Abrams followed with a two-run home run that put the Nationals ahead 5-4.
The scoring continued in the sixth inning on Chris Taylor’s two-run double that provided the Dodgers with a decided lead. Martinez’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded brought in another run and Muncy’s RBI single capped off the big inning.
Taylor went 1-for-3 with two RBI and two walks out of the leadoff spot in Betts’ absence, extending his on-base streak to eight games. Freddie Freeman, Muncy and Hernández each had multiple hits in the win.
Sheehan regressed from his impressive start against the Atlanta Braves by pitching just 4.1 innings and allowing five runs on six hits. If there was a silver lining for the right-handed prospect, Sheehan had four strikeouts and only issued one walk.
The Dodgers bullpen continued their strong run since June as Alex Vesia, Victor González, Ryan Brasier and Evan Phillips combined for scoreless work.
Though, that wasn’t before the game was delayed 1 hour and 35 minutes due to inclement weather. Play was paused with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and the Dodgers holding an 8-5 lead.
Dodgers doubles record
Freeman broke the all-time Dodgers record for most doubles in a single season with his 53rd two-bagger. He had been tied with Johnny Frederick, who hit 52 doubles for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1929 season.
Freeman’s 50th double broke the L.A. Dodgers record, which belonged to Shawn Green.
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