Juan Yepez went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer to help the Washington Nationals to an 8-5 win in the opener of their three-game set against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Washington has won three of its past four games.
Nationals starter Patrick Corbin (2-9) was solid over six innings, allowing only one run on three hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Reliever Kyle Finnegan faced two batters in the ninth, walking one to bring the tying run to the plate but retiring Elly De La Cruz for his 26th save.
Frankie Montas (4-8) was tagged for seven runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings as Cincinnati lost its second straight after winning five of six.
Trailing 8-1 in the ninth, the Reds, who struggled to get on base after the third inning, narrowed the deficit. Austin Slater’s one-out double off Jose Ferrer scored Jeimer Candelario and Spencer Steer to make it 8-3, and pinch hitter Jake Fraley rapped a two-out double off former Reds reliever Derek Law to bring in Slater and Noelvi Marte to cut it to 8-5.
The Nationals didn’t get their first hit until the fourth.
After Jesse Winker drew a walk with one out, Yepez extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a ground ball up the middle. Winker and Yepez each moved up on a wild pitch to James Wood and scored when Wood singled to right field to take a 2-1 lead.
With two outs, Keibert Ruiz sent a first-pitch fastball over the fence in center field for a 4-1 lead.
In the fifth, Lane Thomas reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on a line-drive single to center by Winker, another former Reds player. Yepez followed with a three-run shot to left field to make it 7-1. It was his first blast of the season, and it spelled the end of the night for Montas.
Washington added another run in the seventh. Jacob Young led off with a double, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch by reliever Buck Farmer.
The Reds opened the scoring in the third. Stuart Fairchild singled, stole second with Jonathan India at the plate, and scored on India’s single.
–Field Level Media
