Pujols helps Dodgers to 7-sport season sweep of Nationals
WASHINGTON (AP) — Albert Pujols hit a scamper-ahead single as a pinch-hitter within the seventh inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers done a seven-sport season sweep of the Washington Nationals with a 5-1 contrivance terminate Sunday.
Los Angeles has won a season-high nine straight games since getting no-hit on June 24 by the Chicago Cubs, who contain lost nine in a row. The Dodgers improved to a season-simplest 22 games over .500 at 53-31 following a sweep of the four-sport series.
“Wide series the full blueprint spherical,” Los Angeles supervisor Dave Roberts said.
Beat-up Washington has lost four in a row.
“It turned into as soon as a tricky weekend. We’ve upright bought to support playing, support our heads up,” Washington supervisor Dave Martinez said.
In a sport that started quickly after 11 a.m. on the Fourth of July, Joe Ross (5-8) threw his fastest pitch since the 2016 NL Division Sequence, a One year sooner than Tommy John surgical treatment, making a 97.2 mph offering to Matt Beaty within the most well-known inning.
The rating turned into as soon as tied 1-1 when Gavin Lux doubled leading off the seventh inning.
Pujols, the 41-One year-inclined three-time MVP signed in Could maybe after he turned into as soon as launched by the Los Angeles Angels, hit for pitcher David Mark (4-0) with one out and pulled a 1-2 slider into left discipline for a 2-1 lead.
With 2,132 RBIs, Pujols trails handiest Babe Ruth (2,214) and Hank Aaron (2,297). Pujols has a .345 batting moderate and 56 RBIs in 75 games against Washington.
“I in fact feel be pleased each time he’s within the box, one thing accurate is going to occur,” Lux said.
Martinez brought left-handed closer Brad Hand with two outs to face left-handed Max Muncy, who doubled for a 3-1 lead. Muncy added a two-bustle double off Poke Suero within the ninth.
“That turned into as soon as the most effective matchup for us to strive and support it accurate there,” Martinez said.
Ross allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings with no walks and 11 strikeouts, his most since 2017.
Mark, the fifth of eight Dodgers pitchers, gave up two hits in two scoreless innings on what supervisor Roberts planned as a bullpen day.
“It turned into as soon as special,” Roberts said. “Every man embraced their lane, their feature.”
Alcides Escobar had three hits in his 2d sport since he turned into as soon as traded to Washington.
Starling Castro attach Washington ahead with an RBI single within the third, and Beaty’s solo homer tied the rating within the fourth.
Washington turned into as soon as with out slugger Kyle Schwarber, among 12 Nationals on the 10-day injured list, as a result of a strained accurate hamstring strain. Shortstop Trea Turner has no longer played since jamming his left heart finger on Wednesday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: C Yan Gomes (accurate forearm) did no longer play after being hit by a pitch Saturday evening. Gomes is day after day. … RHP Kyle Finnegan threw a bullpen session and can must face batters sooner than being activated.
Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner pinch hit within the ninth, turned into as soon as hit by a pitch that glanced off a shoulder, then struck his helmet. Turner stayed within the game.
UP NEXT
Nationals: LHP Jon Lester (2-3, 5.34 ERA) is scheduled to originate up Monday’s series opener in San Diego.
Dodgers: A four-sport series with Miami starts in Florida sooner than a three-sport series in Dodger Stadium against Arizona finishes the pre-All-Superstar spoil time table. RHP Walker Buehler (8-1, 2.35) is scheduled to originate up Monday.
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