The Dodgers (84-57) pulled off a 5-3 win over the Nationals (67-76) Friday at Dodger Stadium for their second victory in as many games.
Snell kept the power-hitting Nationals off the board and navigated around two walks, utilizing his high fastball and curveball to rack up seven strikeouts over six innings pitched. The Dodgers’ bullpen made it interesting in the top of the ninth when Washington scored three late runs off Seth Halvorson and Jack Dreyer.
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Despite going up against the Nats with a lineup sans Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani for the second straight game, the Dodgers offense finally strung some clutch hits together.
Snell’s curveball was a thing of beauty.
Kent surrendered two straight walks to Kyle Tucker and Kiké Hernández to open the bottom of the third in a scoreless game.
The Dodgers were 2-for-27 with runners in scoring position before Tommy Edman went down swinging on a sharp curveball. Things looked as if they were trending toward the wrong direction again until Mookie Betts changed the course of the game.
Betts got the Dodgers the first lead after he knocked in Tucker with an RBI single to center field, extending his on-base streak to 14 games.
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In a replay of Thursday, Teoscar Hernández doubled to center field to drive in two more runs for the Dodgers in the inning.
The Dodgers got their fourth run of the night with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Alex Call opened the inning with a double off Kent. Edman reached on an error by Nasim Nuñez on a routine play at shortstop, allowing Call to come in to score.
The Nats started to figure out Snell in the top of the sixth. James Wood doubled, and Andrés Chaparro singled to give Washington runners at the corners with nobody out.
Tucker homered in the sixth to make it 5-0 Dodgers.
The Dodgers’ bullpen did a fine job to preserve the shutout until the ninth. Edgardo Henriquez threw his 104-mph fastballs in the seventh for a scoreless frame with two strikeouts.
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Kyle Hurt and Tanner Scott did their job, but Halvorsen surrendered three base hits in the top of the ninth including an Abimelec Ortiz RBI single. After the third straight hit, Dave Roberts gave Halvorsen the hook.
Dreyer got the first two outs of the inning in exchange for a second Washington run. Jorbit Vivas’s scoring ground out made it 5-2.
Dreyer was one strike away from shutting the door, but Wood doubled to deep center to bring in the third run of the inning for the Nats. After the threat, Dreyer finally secured the final out and the save to give the Dodgers their second straight win.
Friday particulars
Home run: Kyle Tucker (12)
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WP — Blake Snell (3-1): 6 IP, 5 hits, no runs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts (100 pitches)
LP — Jackson Kent (1-3): 5 IP, 4 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 4 walks, 4 strikeouts (87 pitches)
S — Jack Dreyer (2)
Up next
The Dodgers and Nats continue the series Saturday (6:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 2.79 ERA, 0.81 WHIP) starts for the Dodgers. Fellow right-hander Cade Cavalli (12-5, 3.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) takes the ball for Washington.
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