D-Backs beat Nationals
A.J. Pollock leads way with bat, glove
WASHINGTON — Arizona outfielder A.J. Pollack helped Arizona with his bat and glove.
He homered and scored three runs and made a diving catch as the Diamondbacks beat the Washington Nationals 5-4 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game set.
“I think A.J. was unbelievable all around today — at the plate and in the field,” Arizona pitcher Zack Godley said. “There were also some other really good plays made behind me, but A.J. was lights out tonight.”
The NL West-leading
ARI: 18-7 overall WSH: 11-15 overall
Diamondbacks have won five of six and are now 9-4 on the road. That matches Arizona’s 2000 team for the best road start in franchise history.
Godley (4-1) allowed four runs on 10 hits over five innings to improve to 3-0 lifetime at Nationals Park. The Arizona bullpen retired 12 of the 13 batters it faced, with Brad Boxberger working a perfect ninth for his seventh save in as many attempts.
“It just seemed like one thing after another went our way,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We took advantage of some key situations and won the game.”
Pollack homered off Washington starter Stephen Strasburg (2-3) to lead off the second, then singled and scored on Daniel Descalso’s double in the fourth. After Paul Goldschmidt’s flare over first base to lead off the sixth landed just inside the foul line, Pollack belted a triple off the wall in right-center to tie it and scored the go-ahead run on Descalso’s sacrifice fly.
Pollack also helped stymie a Washington rally in the fifth. The Nationals loaded the bases to open the inning, and Pollack made a diving grab in center on Wilmer Difo’s fly ball to limit the damage to a sacrifice fly. Godley then retired the next two batters to keep Arizona within 4-3 entering the sixth.
“Just trying to make a play out there for the pitchers,” Pollack said. “They’ve done really well for us. I had a good break on it and it was definitely a play in the game where if you make a play for us there, you never know. You could limit some damage and get back in and hit.
Strasburg allowed a season-high five runs over 6 1/3 innings for Washington, which has lost five of its last six.
Washington left 10 runners on base, all but one of them in the first five innings. Arizona left only two men on.
“They capitalized when they got guys on base and that’s something that you’ve got do to,” Strasburg said.
Howie Kendrick hit a two-run homer in the third