Daylen Lile and Luis Garcia each accounted for two home runs as the Washington Nationals opened the series with a 9-2 win vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Washington Nationals picked up their third straight win and opened the series at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a convincing performance after a 9-5 finish on Friday night.
Foster Griffin did enough to pick up the win in the start after allowing four hits, including one home run, and allowing one walk while tossing a pair of strikeouts in five innings.
James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr and Daylen Lile all notched multi-hit games as Luis Garcia Jr. stayed hot with a pair of home runs and three RBIs. One week after being honored, this marked Garcia's second multi-home run game over the last week while he has now recorded 13 home runs since June 5 to serve as the spark for the Nationals' offense of late. Lile, meanwhile, recorded his first multi-home run game since May 12.
May 12 also marked the first time that both Lile and Garcia notched multi-home run games, becoming the first Nationals teammates to both have multi-home run games twice in a season.
One of those home runs from Garcia is what gave Washington a lead it never surrendered the rest of the night after taking an 89 mph cutter 395 feet for a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. Daylen Lile then added to it in the next inning after taking the first pitch of the at bat 417 feet to center field, but the Pirates would answer back with their own solo shot the next inning.
Jose Tena kept the home run party alive after bringing home James Wood following a leadoff triple to push the Nationals ahead, 4-1. CJ Abrams kept the bats hot after a single to left field was enough to come home after Daylen Lile belted a double into right field.
Foster Griffin would allow just one base runner over his last two innings before Orlando Ribalta took the mound in the fifth, allowing an infield single though a pair of strikeouts ended the frame without a threat. Justin Lawrence would take the mound in the seventh where a two-out ground rule double added a late threat before stealing third before a walk put runners on the corners, but Clayton Beeter would come in for the strikeout to end the frame.
Luis Garcia's second home run in the bottom of the seventh brought in Nasim Nunez courtesy of a leadoff single to put the Nationals ahead, 7-1. Daylen Lile's second home run of the night came in the bottom of the eighth after his two run shot cemented the Nationals' win at home.
With Zak Kent on the mound, the Pirates added four more runs in the top of the ninth inning courtesy of three consecutive doubles.
The Nationals will take the field for game two at 11 AM on Saturday.
Nationals Roundtable also offers a fan community. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Nationals. Create an account, click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our free community and follow for all of our coverage, analysis and more!
