The Nationals used four-run innings in the fourth and ninth to beat the Dodgers 8-3 and take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five National League Division Series.
Washington Nationals’ Jayson Werth, left, celebrates after his home run with Bryce Harper during the ninth inning in Game 3 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 3 of baseball’s National League Division Series in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Washington Nationals’ Anthony Rendon, right, watches his a two-run home run off Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda, of Japan, during the third inning in Game 3 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016, in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Washington Nationals’ Jayson Werth, left, celebrates with Anthony Rendon after scoring on a single by Bryce Harper during the third inning in Game 3 of baseball’s National League Division Series in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman, right, scores past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal on a sacrifice fly by Chris Heisey during the ninth inning in Game 3 of baseball’s National League Division Series in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals rode home runs from Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth Monday to an 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, giving them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five.
For the third time in as many games, Corey Seager gave the Dodgers a first-inning lead, this time on an RBI double, scoring Justin Turner. But Washington rebounded with a four-run third inning, capped by Anthony Rendon’s two-run shot to left field.
The score line remained there until Carlos Ruiz’s pinch-hit, two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth pulled the Dodgers within one at 4-3. The score stayed there until Werth crushed a 450-foot shot leading off the top of the ninth. Washington added two more on Ryan Zimmerman’s double and the final run on Chris Heisey’s sacrifice fly.
For the second straight game, neither started lasted five innings. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pinch-hit for Kenta Maeda after three innings, while Dusty Baker double-switched Gio Gonzalez and the struggling Danny Espinosa following Ruiz’s homer with one out in the fifth.
First pitch for Game 4 is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. Neither team has announced their starting pitcher yet.
