WASHINGTON (AP) — Luis García Jr. hit a three-run homer, MacKenzie Gore pitched a season-high seven innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1 on Friday night.
Keibert Ruiz added a two-run homer and a single, and Eddie Rosario hit a solo shot for the Nationals, who had lost seven of eight.
“We got to get the ball in the zone and take good aggressive swings,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “For the most part, they did that all night. We got some balls in the zone. We hit some fastballs. So we had some really good at-bats.”
Gore (3-4) allowed one run and four hits, struck out eight and walked one, throwing 98 pitches.
J.P. Crawford homered leading off a game for the 10th time in his big league career and singled for the Mariners, who tied their longest losing streak this season at three.
Seattle was held to one run for the third time in five games and was limited to five hits or fewer for the 13th time in 52 games this season. The Mariners struck out 10 times, their 34th time in double digits, and lead the major leagues with 529.
“We have really struggled to put much together against starting pitching here recently and that’s got to get better,” manager Scott Servais said. “You’re not going to win games 1-0, 2-1, certainly on the road. We’ve got to swing the bats better.”
After Crawford’s homer, Gore retired 15 of the next 17 batters.
“You never want to lead off the game with a homer, but just get the next guy,” Gore said. “What had happened had happened. It’s always an interesting thing when the first guy hits a homer.”
George Kirby (4-5) gave up five runs and six hits in six innings, walking his sixth batter in 62 1/3 innings this season.
Kirby retired his first nine batters on 24 pitches before CJ Abrams singled leading off the fourth. With one out, Joey Meneses singled and García hit a first-pitch slider into the visitors’ bullpen in left center for a 3-1 lead
“It felt great. Always a great feeling to be able to put the team ahead early,” Garcia said through an interpreter. “I was able to do that in that moment.”
Nationals third baseman Nick Senzel made a diving stop on Dylan Moore’s sixth-inning smash with a runner on first and no outs and got a forceout at second.
Jess Winker walked against Kirby with two outs in the sixth and Ruiz homered for a 5-1 lead.
“Right at the end of his outing he tried to come inside with a fastball and he missed,” Servais said. “George’s stuff is fine. Got to locate and when he’s made mistakes it’s hurt him here recently.”
Kirby has allowed 10 earned runs over 12 innings in his past two starts.
Rosario connected in the eighth on a pitch 1.57 feet from the center of the plate, the farthest-inside a pitch has been on a left-handed batter’s home run since Statcast started tracking in 2015.
there have been 4 RHB HR at least that far inside, most recently 5/4/19 Ronny Rodríguez 1.75 ft
Seattle recalled outfielder Jonatan Clase from Triple-A Tacoma and optioned infielder Luis Urias to the Rainiers. Urias is batting .152 in 34 games with the Mariners this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: OF Lane Thomas (left MCL sprain) was the DH for Double-A Harrisburg in the fourth game of his minor league rehab assignment, going 2 for 4 with a run-scoring single, RBI double and two walks. … OF James Wood, Washington’s top prospect, was removed from Triple-A Rochester’s game Thursday night in the fifth inning with right hamstring tightness. … RHP Josiah Gray (right elbow/forearm flexor strain) will throw a bullpen session on Saturday at Nationals Park.
UP NEXT
Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (3-2, 3.20 ERA) opposes RHP Trevor Williams (4-0, 2.35) in the middle game of the series on Saturday.
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