Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Box Score on Sep 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 15, 2017

WASHINGTON -- Alex Wood allowed just three hits in six scoreless innings and was backed by three early home runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers crushed the Washington Nationals 7-0 on Friday night in a showdown of first-place teams with the two best records in the National League.

The Dodgers (95-52), who had lost eight of their previous 10 outings, entered with a magic number of seven to clinch the NL West. The Nationals (89-58) have lost three of four since clinching the NL East title Sunday.

Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig (2-for-4) and Corey Seager (three-run shot) each had home runs for the Dodgers in the first two innings.

Wood (15-3), who had lost his previous two starts, had eight strikeouts and just one walk before Pedro Baez came on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning. Brock Stewart went two innings to finish the 15th shutout of the season for the Dodgers.

The loser was Edwin Jackson (5-6), who has given up 12 runs in his last two starts in just six innings. Andre Ethier added two hits for the Dodgers, who beat the Nationals in five games in the NL Division Series last year.

Turner hit his 20th homer of the year, a solo shot with two outs in the first, to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. The homer came on a 3-2 fastball and was the first for Turner since Sept. 8 against the Colorado Rockies.

The Dodgers scored five in the second for a 6-0 lead.

Puig led off with his 26th homer to make it 2-0. Ethier drove in Chase Utley with a ground-rule double that right fielder Jayson Werth appeared to lose in the twilight as the Dodgers assumed a 3-0 advantage.

Seager hit a three-run homer -- his 20th home run of the season -- later in the second with two outs to make it 6-0.

Utley drove in a run with a fielder's choice in the third to push the lead to 7-0 and send Jackson to the showers. The veteran right-hander gave up six hits (three homers) and seven runs with two walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.

Wood allowed just three hits and no runs in the first five innings and did a good job of mixing in secondary pitches with his fastball.

NOTES: The Nationals won two of three against the Dodgers in June in Los Angeles. ... Dodgers LHP Rich Hill (9-8, 3.67 ERA) will face Nationals RHP A.J. Cole (2-4, 4.30) on Saturday. ... Washington manager Dusty Baker played in the World Series for the Dodgers in 1977, 1978 and 1981. He is one win shy of winning 90 games for the 10th time as a manager. ... Dodgers CF Chris Taylor, a University of Virginia product, was 0-for-3 with two walks in the leadoff spot. ... Nationals RHP Edwin Jackson made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 2003. He has played for 12 major league teams.