WASHINGTON (AP) — Luis García Jr.’s two-run single highlighted a six-run seventh inning for the Washington Nationals as they rallied to a 9-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday.
Washington hit only two balls out of the infield during its big inning, but the Nationals sent 10 men to the plate in a frame that included the first ejection for Padres rookie manager Craig Stammen. The first six Washington batters came around to score.
Fernando Tatis Jr. finally hit of the season for San Diego, and Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado also went deep to help the Padres build a 3-1 lead. Drew Millas homered in the third for Washington, and he was involved in perhaps the game’s most important play in the seventh.
After CJ Abrams led off the Washington seventh with a single to center, José Tena’s grounder forced a diving stop by Tatis, and the second baseman was unable to make an accurate throw for the force play. It was scored a fielder’s choice.
Jorbit Vivas then walked, and Michael King (4-4) hit Dylan Crews with a pitch to force in a run.
Bradgley Rodriguez come on to face Millas and induced a grounder to second, but everybody was safe when Bogaerts, the shortstop, was ruled to be off second base when he received the throw from Tatis. The play was reviewed, the call was upheld and Stammen was tossed after coming out to argue. Bogaerts was charged with an error.
Pinch-hitter Curtis Mead drew a walk to force in another run, and after James Wood struck out, García’s single up the middle made it 6-3. Daylen Lile then bounced into a force play, but a run came home when the Padres were unable to turn two.
Machado’s RBI double in the eighth made it 7-4, but Mead answered with a two-run double in the bottom half.
Brad Lord (3-0) pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth for the win. Clayton Beeter got the final four outs for his third save.
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