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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Lane Thomas hit two RBI doubles and the Washington Nationals broke out of their hitting slump Sunday in an 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, who lost Freddy Peralta to shoulder tightness in the fourth inning.
Peralta (3-2) left after
The Nationals entered the day having dropped seven of their past nine, and they had scored a total of six runs in the seven losses. But they had an early 8-0 lead Sunday and cruised to the win.
Milwaukee didn’t retire anyone in the fourth until Nelson Cruz – the eighth batter of the inning – got thrown out trying to stretch a bloop single down the right-field line into a double. The Nationals first eight batters of the inning all got hits, tying a Washington franchise record for consecutive plate appearances with a hit.
The Nationals led 3-0 and had runners on second and third when Peralta's injury forced his departure. Peralta, a 2021 All-Star, entered the day having allowed just one run over 12 2/3 innings in his previous two starts.
Dee Strange-Gordon and César Hernández greeted reliever Brent Suter with consecutive RBI bunt singles to make it 5-0. That was the first time the Nationals have produced bunt RBIs in consecutive at-bats, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Keibert Ruiz followed with an RBI double before Juan Soto hit a two-run single through a drawn-in infield.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez had altered his lineup Sunday by moving Soto from second to third and moving Ruiz into the No. 2 spot. Ruiz had gone 8 of 16 in his past five games going into Sunday, while Soto was 2 of 20 over his past six games.
Washington wasted little time getting its offense going.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Maikel Franco reached on a two-out infield hit and came home on Thomas’ double to right. They extended the lead to 2-0 in the third as
Milwaukee got a
Nationals starter Aaron Sanchez (3-3) struck out one and gave up seven hits, two runs and two walks in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross will begin rehabilitation assignments Tuesday.
Ross will pitch for Double-A Harrisburg and Strasburg will join Class A Fredericksburg. Martinez said they’re planning for each of the right-handers to work four innings and throw 60-plus pitches.
Martinez said Ross got the Double-A assignment because “I think Joe’s a little bit further along, so we pushed him up. And we want to keep close eyes on Stras, being that he’s going to be a little closer.”
and has pitched a total of 26 2/3 innings since the start of the 2020 season. Ross hasn’t pitched in a major league game since Aug. 10 because of a
UP NEXT
Nationals: Begin a seven-game homestand Monday in the opener of a three-game series with Los Angeles. Scheduled starters are RHP Joan Adon (1-7, 6-38 ERA) for the Nationals and LHP Tyler Anderson (4-0, 4.04) for the Dodgers.
Brewers: Open a season-long 11-game trip Monday at San Diego. RHP Adrian Houser (3-4, 3.22) will start for the Brewers.
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