Quick Hitters
D-Backs beat Nationals
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks opened the game with three straight home runs off Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and ended it with Brandon Drury’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 6-5 victory Friday night.
The home runs by David Peralta, A.J. Pollock and Jake Lamb started the Diamondbacks on the way to a 5-0 lead.
The feat was the first in the majors since Baltimore did it against Texas in the bottom of the first on May 10, 2012.
It was the first time in Nationals history (2005 to present) that an opposing team has hit back-toback-to-back home runs.
The Diamondbacks last hit three straight homers on Aug. 11, 2010, when they had four in a row at Milwaukee.
It was the most runs allowed by Scherzer in a first inning since July 2, 2011, against San Francisco, when he gave up five.
Scherzer’s five runs allowed tied for the most he’s given up in a start this season, and the five innings tied for his shortest outing of the season.
Arizona sent nine batters to the plate in the four-run first and the Diamondbacks made it 5-0 in the second on Lamb’s RBI double.
Scherzer had allowed just one home run in 34 2/3 innings over five starts before he surrendered the three home runs on his first 10 pitches. The All-Star right-hander and two-time Cy Young Award winner was tagged for three homers in a game for the first time since May 6, 2016, against the Chicago Cubs, when he allowed four.
Peralta, Pollock and Lamb also had a double each, another historical first for the Diamondbacks.
The Nationals rallied with Daniel Murphy’s run-scoring double in the fourth, then added two more runs in the fifth off Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley. A leadoff double for Matt Wieters led to Brian Goodwin’s RBI groundout, and Ryan Raburn singled in Wilmer Difo with two outs.
Godley struck out a career high 10 in 5 2/3 innings, and allowed four runs and five hits.
Difo drove in two runs, one to cut the lead to 5-4 in the sixth and the other that tied the game on a groundout to first in the eighth.
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases in the ninth on Pollock’s triple and intentional walks to Lamb and Paul Goldschmidt by Enny Romero (2-4) in the ninth. After Gregor Blanco flied out to shallow left, Drury bounced a single into right field for Arizona’s third win in four games.
Fernando Rodney (4-3) pitched an inning for the win.
Wall, Wiz agree to $170M, 4-year extension
WASHINGTON — All-Star point guard John Wall and the Washington Wizards have agreed to a $170 million, four-year contract extension that will start with the 2019 season, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Friday night.
The people confirmed the terms of the agreement to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Wizards have not officially announced the deal.
The extension includes a player option for the final season in 2023, and a 15 percent trade kicker, according to one of the people.
“Re-signed with the Wizards, man. Signed my extension. You know where I want to be. I love being in D.C. I love the organization. Love my teammates. Love the amazing fans,” Wall said in a video posted on Twitter. “Just had to think it out with my family and friends and made the decision.”
“Definitely going to bring y’all that championship,” Wall added. “That’s my ultimate goal and I ain’t going to stop until I get it.”