Dodgers’ 7-run 6th leads them past Nats in Game 3

WASHINGTON — The Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning and never looked back, beating the host Washington Nationals 10-4 in Washington, DC, on Sunday night to take a 2-1 National League Division Series (NLDS) lead.

The outburst, which began with the Dodgers trailing 2-1, included two-run doubles from Russell Martin and Enrique Hernandez, and a three-run home run from Justin Turner. Martin added a two-run homer in the ninth to finish 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

Juan Soto homered for Washington, which will turn to veteran right-hander Max Scherzer in a win-or-go-home contest at home Monday in Game 4. The Dodgers will go with 39-year-old lefty Rich Hill.

As for Sunday, Los Angeles right-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. He walked two and fanned three.

Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin (0-2) took the loss in relief after surrendering six runs and recording only two outs. He followed starter Anibal Sanchez, who allowed only one run on four hits in five innings while striking out nine and walking two.

The Nationals opened the scoring on Soto’s two-run blast in the first. The 20-year-old belted a high fastball 408 feet to center field for his first career postseason homer.

In the fifth, the Dodgers trimmed the deficit to 2-1. Max Muncy had two strikes against him when he ripped a 398-foot shot to right-center field for his second homer in as many games.

Martin gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead when he drilled a two-out, two-run double off Corbin in the sixth. The hit to left-center field drove in Cody Bellinger and David Freese, both of whom had singled.

The inning quickly got away from Corbin, who walked Chris Taylor before giving up a two-run double to Hernandez that increased the Dodgers’ lead to 5-2. That spelled the end of the night for Corbin in his first relief appearance since 2017.

Nationals manager Davey Martinez brought in right-hander Wander Suero to face Turner with two on and two out. Turner promptly crushed a three-run homer over the wall in left-center field to make it 8-2.

A wild pitch by Dodgers right-hander Joe Kelly with the bases loaded allowed Washington to score a run in the bottom of the sixth. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly by Asdrubal Cabrera cut the deficit to 8-4.

Martin capped off his big night with a two-run homer in the ninth.

BRAVES AHEAD OF TAKING SERIES
Pinch hitter Adam Duvall’s two-run single capped a three-run, ninth-inning rally as the visiting Atlanta Braves rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 in Game 3 of a National League Division Series on Sunday afternoon.

The Braves gained a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five series. Game 4 will be played Monday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson had three hits, including the game-tying double in the ninth-inning. Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez (1-1) took the loss after entering with a 1-0 lead in the ninth.

Sean Newcomb (1-0), the fourth Braves pitcher, earned the victory. Mark Melancon closed out the Cardinals, allowing one hit in the ninth, for the save.

Josh Donaldson led off the ninth with a double. After Nick Markakis and Adeiny Hechavarria struck out, Brian McCann got a free pass before Swanson hammered an RBI double into the left field corner. That set the stage for Duvall’s two-run single into center field.

Braves starting pitcher Mike Soroka held the Cardinals to one run on just two hits in seven innings, both by Marcell Ozuna. He struck out seven and walked none.

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright held the Braves scoreless for 7 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out eight. He worked seven or more innings for the eighth time in his 13 postseason starts.

Ozuna hit a lead-off double in the second inning, advanced to third on Yadier Molina’s groundout and scored on Matt Carpenter’s sacrifice fly to put the Cardinals up 1-0.

After the Braves left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, Carpenter and Tommy Edman drew walks off reliever Max Fried to open the bottom of the inning.

Paul DeJong popped out before Darren O’Day relieved Fried and picked off pinch runner Harrison Bader at second base. That proved helpful when Jose Martinez lined a single to left.

Newcomb relieved O’Day and coaxed Dexter Fowler to fly out to end the threat.

Duvall is 3-for-3 with four RBIs as a pinch hitter in this series. His two-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 2 provided insurance for the Braves in their 3-0 victory. — Reuters