Cabrera, Bullpen Lead Nationals To 13-0 Rout Of Pirates
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Asdrúbal Cabrera hit the last of Washington's four home runs and drove in five runs, and three relievers combined for 6 2/3 innings of one-hit ball as the Nationals thumped the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-0 on Monday night.
Adam Eaton, Matt Adams and Trea Turner also connected for the Nationals, who have scored 79 runs in their last eight games while going 7-1. They've scored 43 times in their past three, including a 15-14 loss.
Adams added two doubles and had four RBIs. Juan Soto had four of Washington's 15 hits and walked, reaching base in all five plate appearances.
Javy Guerra (2-1) pitched 3 2/3 perfect innings in relief of Joe Ross, who departed in the fourth inning. Ross was hit in the left knee by a one-hopper off the bat of Josh Bell.
Kyle McGowin and Tanner Rainey finished the four-hitter with one inning each for Washington's 11th shutout of the season.
The Nationals scored four runs off Trevor Williams (5-6) in each of the first two innings.
Williams was removed after the second and was charged with eight runs - six earned - while giving up six hits and three walks. Pittsburgh fell to 7-28 since the All-Star break.
Eaton homered with one out it the first and Adams added a two-run blast following a sacrifice fly by Cabrera. Turner's three-run homer highlighted the second, which included an RBI double by Adams.
The Nationals moved within five games of first-place Atlanta, which was idle, in the NL East and continue to lead the wild-card standings.
Cabrera hit a two-run double in the fifth and scored on Adams' double as the Nationals ran the lead to 11-0. He added a two-run homer in the ninth.
Bell's single off Ross' knee in the fourth gave the Pirates runners at first and third with one out. However, Guerra got Colin Moran to hit into a double play.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Max Scherzer is scheduled to be activated from the injured list Thursday and start in the finale of the four-game series. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has pitched once over the past six weeks because of a strained muscle in his back. ... 1B Ryan Zimmerman had his rehab assignment transferred to Single-A Potomac from Double-A Harrisburg.
Pirates: C Elias Díaz was removed after the fourth inning as a precaution after being struck in the facemask by a foul tip.
BABY TALK
Nationals 2B Brian Dozier was placed on paternity leave and INF Adrián Sanchez was recalled from Harrisburg. Dozier can miss up to three days.
HIT NO. 1
Pirates rookie right-hander Montana DuRapau had his first major-league hit, a single to right field in the third inning off Ross. It came in DuRapau's 13th game and fourth at-bat.
UP NEXT
Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (15-5, 3.82 ERA) will face RHP Chris Archer (3-9, 5.23) on Tuesday night. Strasburg is 8-1 with a 3.92 ERA in his last 10 starts. Archer has not won in 12 starts since June 6, going 0-4 with a 5.26 ERA.
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