Mookie Betts homered twice on a night he was originally supposed to have off, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals 9-4 Tuesday night.
Betts smacked a three-run homer off former Dodgers prospect Josiah Gray and hit solo shot off Victor Arano for his 21st career multi-homer game and his second of the season.
Chris Taylor and Trea Turner also homered for Los Angeles, which has won nine of 10 . At 29-13, Los Angeles owns the best record in the National League.
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Washington has dropped seven of it last nine and is a major-league worst 5-17 at home.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler (6-1) allowed three runs in six innings, retiring 15 of the last 17 batters he faced. He yielded six hits and struck out three.
It was the first time Gray (4-4) faced the Dodgers since he was dealt to the Nationals at last year’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Turner and Max Scherzer to Los Angeles. Things unraveled quickly for the 24-year-old right-hander.
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Turner hit a two-run homer three batters into the game and, after the Nationals scored three in the first, Betts poked a three-run shot into the front row in left field to make it 5-3. Taylor added a two-run blast in the third.
Gray gave up seven runs in three innings, and is tied with Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene for the NL lead in homers allowed with 12.
Betts’ solo shot, his 12th homer of the season, to greet Arano in the fourth extended the lead to 8-3.
The former AL MVP scored a run in his 12th consecutive game, tying Rafael Furcal (in 2010) for the longest such streak since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. Zack Wheat set the franchise record with a 13-game streak for the Brooklyn Robins in 1925.
Betts was scheduled for a routine off day Tuesday, but manager Dave Roberts said outfielder Clay Bellinger woke up not feeling well, which prompted some lineup juggling. Now, Betts is set to sit in Wednesday’s series finale — assuming there isn’t another change of plans.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings for Class A Fredericksburg in his first rehabilitation appearance since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery last year. He struck out three while walking four. … INF Ehire Adrianza (quad strain) was 3 for 3 with a walk and a run scored as he started a rehab assignment at Double-A Harrisburg. … OF Victor Robles did not start a day after departing with a calf cramp.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: LHP Julio Urías (3-3, 2.63 ERA) is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in five lifetime appearances against Washington.
Nationals: RHP Erick Fedde (2-3, 4.08) makes his first career start against the Dodgers as the three-game series concludes.
