Stephen Strasburg suffers first loss as Justin Turner takes him deep twice
WASHINGTON -- Justin Turner homered twice and drove in five runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended Stephen Strasburg's undefeated streak by beating the Washington Nationals 6-3 on Thursday.
Turner hit his 16th and 17th home runs, a two-run shot off Strasburg in the first and a three-run shot off the right-hander in the third, to set a career high.
Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 13 games and Adrian Gonzalez also drove in a run for the Dodgers, who defeated the Nationals for the fifth time in six games this season.
Strasburg (13-1) lost for the first time since Sept. 9, ending a run of 16 consecutive winning decisions. Making it through the sixth, he allowed a season-high six earned runs and seven hits -- all in the first three innings - and struck out 10.
Before Strasburg could settle down, the Dodgers crushed the ball against him, including a double off the left-field wall from Gonzalez and Turner's two home runs.
At one point, Strasburg struck out seven of nine Los Angeles batters and allowed just one base runner after the third.
The Dodgers did enough damage to support top pitching prospect Julio Urias (2-2), who held the Nationals to one run and five hits in four innings. The 19-year-old left-hander displayed excellent command with four strikeouts and no walks and was lifted after 77 pitches.
Kendrick singled off Strasburg in the second to keep his hitting streak alive going into a weekend series at St. Louis.
Bryce Harper drove in the only run against Urias with a sacrifice fly in the first, and Washington scored on an RBI double by Danny Espinosa in the sixth and an RBI single by Daniel Murphy in the seventh off the Dodgers' bullpen.
Justin Turner
Dodgers: OF Yasiel Puig left the game with right hamstring tightness. Puig grounded out in the seventh inning as a pinch-hitter. ... All-Star SS Corey Seager missed his third consecutive game because of a stomach virus. Manager Dave Roberts said Seager was feeling stronger, but didn't want to play him a full game in 90-degree heat and humidity.
Nationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman (left rib cage sprain) was set to start a rehab stint at Class A Potomac on Thursday night. Manager Dusty Baker said he'd like Zimmerman to play three minor-league games and return Tuesday in Cleveland. ... RHP Joe Ross (shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen session prior to the game.
Roberts used seven relievers to throw the final five innings: RHP Pedro Baez, LHP Luis Avilan, RHP Louis Coleman, LHP J.P. Howell, RHP Joe Blanton, LHP Adam Liberatore and RHP Kenley Jansen, who earned his 28th save. The only one left was LHP Grant Dayton, who was recalled earlier in the day.
Originally listed in the starting lineup, Jayson Werth was a late scratch when Baker said he woke up at 3:30 a.m. and changed it to give the outfielder a rest. Werth had a pinch-hit double in the eighth to extend his on-base streak to 25 games.
The Red Dream stays red HOT.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 21, 2016
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Dodgers: RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.69 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series in St. Louis against RHP Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.45)
Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (9-5, 2.82) continues his impressive season against the San Diego Padres, who are scheduled to start RHP Luis Perdomo (3-4, 7.36) in the series opener at Nationals Park.
