Jul 20, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez (47) throws to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Photo Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
WASHINGTON — Gio Gonzalez allowed just one run in six innings, and his Washington teammates hit four homers as the Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1 Wednesday.
The Nationals won for the first time in the teams’ five meetings this year.
Bryce Harper, Ben Revere and Jayson Werth homered off Los Angeles starter Bud Norris (5-8). Anthony Rendon and Wilson Ramos each had two hits and an RBI.
Ramos’ sixth-inning double chased Norris and gave Washington a 5-1 lead. Two batters later, speedy Trea Turner tripled down the third base line off reliever Louis Coleman to drive in the slow-footed Ramos. Turner then stole home as part of a double steal as the lead to make it 7-1.
Rendon, who missed the previous two games due to illness, hit a solo homer in the eighth off J.P. Howell. The Nationals entered the game as the league leader in homers with 128.
Gonzalez (6-8) gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six. He owns a 4.53 ERA, but he has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his past three outings.
Felipe Rivero followed Gonzalez with two scoreless innings for Washington, and Koda Glover pitched a perfect ninth in his major league debut.
Norris gave up seven hits (including the three homers) and six runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Los Angeles’ Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double in the eighth.
First-place Washington (57-38) improved to 3-7 against the National League West while the Dodgers (53-43) fell to 13-9 against the National League East. The deciding game of the three-game series is scheduled for Thursday.
Harper hit one of the longest homers of his career in the first inning, a two-run shot that traveled 451 feet (according to Statcast) into the upper deck down the right field line. Harper’s 20th home run of the year drove in Daniel Murphy, who doubled with two outs.
Harper entered the game hitting .115 in his previous seven games, with his last homer coming July 7 against the Mets in New York.
The Dodgers cut the lead to 2-1 in the second as Charlie Culberson, just called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City, singled to knock in Scott Van Slyke.
The Nationals made it 3-1 in the fifth on solo homer by Revere, just his second of the season and sixth of a career that began in 2010. The next batter, Werth, smashed an 0-2 pitch from Norris for a homer to left for a 4-1 edge.
It was the 12th time this year the Nationals hit back-to-back homers.
NOTES: Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (posterior elbow impingement) underwent an arthroscopic debridement of his left elbow Wednesday in New York City. He will begin rehab in the next few days, and the estimated recovery time is about eight weeks. “He was pitching so well,” manager Dave Roberts said. … Roberts said that he hopes to have LHP Clayton Kershaw (back) return at some point this year but also realizes surgery could be an option. … Los Angeles called up INF Charlie Culberson from Triple-A and put RHP Chris Hatcher (strained left oblique) on the disabled list. … The Nationals called up RHP Koda Glover from Triple-A Syracuse and sent RHP Reynaldo Lopez, who made his big league debut Tuesday, back to Syracuse. Washington also designated minor league LHP Nick Lee for assignment. … Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (13-0, 2.51) will face rookie RHP Julio Urias (1-2, 4.95) in the series finale Thursday afternoon.
