Pavin Smith homered and drove in three runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied against Washington's beleaguered bullpen to beat the Nationals 10-5 on Tuesday night.
Diamondbacks Nationals Baseball Stacks of Screech bobbleheads are ready to be given to fans before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Washington Nationals are celebrating Pride month with their 18th Night OUT celebration. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Stone Garrett, Eric Young Jr. Washington Nationals' Stone Garrett celebrates with first base coach Eric Young Jr., as he runs the bases on a grand slam during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Stone Garrett Washington Nationals' Stone Garrett hits a grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Nancy Pelosi, Jeff Banister Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., second from left, and Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach Jeff Banister, second from right, pose for a photo before she threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Diamondbacks at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Nationals celebrated Pride month with their 18th Night OUT event. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Nancy Pelosi Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., stands during the national anthem after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Nationals celebrated Pride month with their 18th Night OUT event. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Jake Irvin Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Erasmo Ramirez Washington Nationals relief pitcher Erasmo Ramirez throws during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Alex Call Fans and Washington Nationals center fielder Alex Call can't catch a two-run home run hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Diamondbacks won 10-5. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Pavin Smith Arizona Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith hits a two-run home run against the Washington National during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Diamondbacks won 10-5. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith hits a two-run home run against the Washington National during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Diamondbacks won 10-5. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(AP/Alex Brandon)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith hits a two-run home run against the Washington National during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Washington. The Diamondbacks won 10-5. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(AP/Alex Brandon)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pavin Smith homered and drove in three runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied against Washington’s beleaguered bullpen to beat the Nationals 10-5 on Tuesday night.
Josh Rojas also had three RBIs for Arizona, which moved ahead of Los Angeles for the NL West lead soon after the game when the Dodgers blew a late lead at Cincinnati. The Diamondbacks have won seven of nine to improve to 36-25.
Former Diamondback Stone Garrett hit his first career grand slam for last-place Washington, which has lost three in a row and six of eight. Lane Thomas also homered for the Nationals.
Washington entered the day with the worst bullpen ERA in the National League at 4.73, and Arizona took full advantage when starter Jake Irvin was pulled after hitting Corbin Carroll to open the fifth inning.
Reliever Erasmo Ramírez (2-3) plunked Christian Walker with his first pitch, committed a balk to move over both runners and walked Emmanuel Rivera to load the bases. Arizona sandwiched a pair of sacrifice flies around Gabriel Moreno’s RBI single to make it 6-4.
Ramírez has allowed runs in five of his last six outings, and his ERA has jumped from 4.03 to 6.33 in that span.
Rojas added a two-run single in the sixth, and Smith swatted a two-run shot to left-center in the seventh as the Diamondbacks expanded their lead against Chad Kuhl.
José Ruiz (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the victory.
Garrett’s grand slam in the first off Arizona starter Tommy Henry gave Washington a 4-1 lead. The Diamondbacks got two back in the fourth when Moreno and Smith had RBI singles off Irvin, who allowed four runs in four-plus innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was out of the lineup for the second game in a row with right groin tightness.
Nationals: Washington recalled RHP Jordan Weems from Triple-A Rochester and designated RHP Andrés Machado for assignment. Machado was 0-0 with an 8.47 ERA in 14 games. … RHP Victor Arano, who has not pitched this season, will undergo shoulder surgery later this month. … OF Victor Robles (back spasms) has taken batting practice on the field and could begin a rehab assignment this week. … RHP Tanner Rainey threw off a mound for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August.
“I don’t even watch TV except for sports and so I know better than for a politician to go in front of a sports crowd —- who came for that, right?” Pelosi said. “But this tonight, (for) the LGBTQ, that was a whole different purpose, so I was very honored to do that and take whatever came my way.”
UP NEXT
Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (4-5, 4.92) will start against his former team Wednesday night. Corbin is 0-2 with a 13.86 ERA in two starts against Arizona since leaving the Diamondbacks after the 2018 season. RHP Zach Davies (0-1, 5.40 ERA) is set to start for Arizona. He’s 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA in six career starts against Washington.
