WASHINGTON — The Arizona Diamondbacks scored the go-ahead run on Gabriel Moreno’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly and held off the Washington Nationals for a 3-2 win Friday night at Nationals Park, opening a three-game series to kick off Washington’s second-half homestand.
Nationals starter Zack Littell struggled out of the gate, allowing an RBI bunt single to Tim Tawa and an RBI forceout to Ketel Marte in the second inning that put Arizona ahead 2-0. Dylan Crews answered in the fourth with a two-run homer off Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez, tying the game at 2 before the bullpens took over. Littell (7-8) was charged with the loss.
Arizona broke the tie in the seventh when Moreno’s sacrifice fly off reliever Tom Cosgrove brought home Marte, capping a night in which Moreno reached base for the 40th straight start, the second-longest streak in club history behind Corbin Carroll. Rodriguez worked six innings, allowing two runs on three walks with four strikeouts to improve to 9-3, and closer Paul Sewald got Keibert Ruiz to ground out in the ninth to lock down his 24th save.
The loss dropped the Nationals to 52-52 as they continue a six-game homestand that resumes Saturday at 4:05 p.m. against Arizona, with Foster Griffin (11-2, 2.68 ERA) on the mound opposite Mitch Bratt. Washington still leads the majors with 150 home runs and 113 stolen bases this season.
Sources: MLB.com, ESPN, The Nats Report