Major League Baseball

Diamondbacks break loose, Nats lose for 5th time in 6 games

Published Aug. 5, 2015 11:29 p.m. ET

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WASHINGTON (AP) Nationals reliever Aaron Barrett threw away a bunt in the sixth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks quickly broke away, romping 11-4 Wednesday night and handing Washington its fifth loss in six games.

Down 11-2 in the ninth, the pitching-rich Nationals resorted to putting utilityman Tyler Moore on the mound. He retired the first batter he faced, Arizona star Paul Goldschmidt, on an RBI groundout.

Goldschmidt, Ender Inciarte and A.J. Pollock each got three of Arizona's 17 hits. Welington Castillo added his sixth homer in nine games.

The loss dropped the Nationals two games behind the streaking New York Mets in the NL East. Arizona has won nine of 13.

The Diamondbacks trailed 2-1 in the sixth when Nick Ahmed tried to put down a sacrifice with runners at first and second and no outs. Barrett (3-3) fielded the ball but made a wild throw that went into foul territory in right field, letting both runners score.

Ahmed wound up reaching third base, and was credited with a single. Pinch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia followed with a broken-bat single for another run and Aaron Hill later drew a bases-loaded walk for his second RBI, making it 5-2.

Castillo hit a three-run homer in the eighth and Arizona scored three more in the ninth.

Moore, a first baseman and outfielder, made his first major league pitching appearance, retiring Goldschmidt and Hill and also hitting Castillo with a pitch.

Rubby De La Rosa (9-5) went five innings for the win.

Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez struck out seven in five innings. He left with a 2-1 after a leadoff single in the sixth.

Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run homer for the Nationals in that ninth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Chief baseball officer Tony La Russa said RHP Chase Anderson (triceps inflammation) will come off the disabled list and start either Friday or Saturday.

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (left oblique strain) felt fine after throwing a bullpen session on Wednesday. Manager Matt Williams said they'll see how he feels Thursday before making some decisions. ... CF Denard Span (back tightness) hit and took fly balls in the outfield for the first time before the game. Span also felt fine and said he wants to wait and see how he's doing Thursday.

UP NEXT

Arizona RHP Jeremy Hellickson (7-7, 4.95) has struck out 24 in his last 27 1-3 innings and will start in the series finale against Washington RHP Joe Ross (2-3, 3.00), a rookie who's never started vs. the Diamondbacks.