Nationals use power, pitching to down Rangers

Joey Meneses, Stone Garrett and Dominic Smith each homered and Patrick Corbin pitched seven solid innings as the Washington Nationals cruised to a 7-2 win over the visiting Texas Rangers to take the three-game series on Sunday

Meneses went 1-for-3 with his fourth homer in the past three games after entering the series having hit two all season. Smith went 1-for-3 with two runs and Garrett hit one out of the park in his lone at-bat as pinch hitter.

Alex Call had a two-run single and a run, while Keibert Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a run for the Nationals, who won consecutive home games for the first time since knocking off Detroit on May 20-21

Corbin (6-10) allowed a run on five hits with six strikeouts and a walk over a season-high-tying seven innings to pick up the win.

The Nationals broke through first in the fifth

Smith led off with a homer to center, then Luis Garcia singled to right before being forced out at second on Call’s fielder’s choice. CJ Abrams moved Call to second with a single to left, then Call scored on Lane Thomas’ single to center for a 2-0 lead.

The Rangers, who have dropped six of their past eight games, pulled to within 2-1 in the sixth. Adolis Garcia’s single scored Marcus Semien, who led off with a double to left and advanced to third on Corey Seager’s flyout to left

The Nationals extended their advantage with three runs in the bottom of the sixth

After Ruiz hit a one-out double down the left-field line, Corey Dickerson flew out before Smith was hit by a pitch by Dane Dunning, who was relieved by Josh Sborz.

Sborz gave up an infield single to Luis Garcia that loaded the bases before Call delivered a two-run single to center that scored Ruiz and Smith. Abrams’ grounder up the middle plated Garcia to make it 5-1.

Dunning (8-2) allowed four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Meneses hit a solo homer to center in the seventh off Sborz, who gave up another solo shot to Garrett one batter later to make it 7-1.

Josh Jung went 2-for-3, with Adolis Garcia going 1-for-4 with two RBIs for the Rangers

–Field Level Media