Teoscar Hernández hit a home run and drove in three runs, including the game-winner in the seventh inning, as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to defeat the Washington Nationals 6-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Nationals Park. The victory allowed Los Angeles to avoid a three-game sweep and snap Washington’s four-game winning streak.
The Dodgers entered the series finale as moderate favorites, with most sportsbooks listing them at approximately -145 on the moneyline. The Nationals, playing well at home, were listed near +125. The run total was set at 9.5, a figure matched exactly in a game that featured early offense and late-inning drama.
Los Angeles designated hitter Shohei Ohtani contributed to the win by going 2-for-4 with a walk. He singled in the first and seventh innings, scored twice, and raised his batting average to .315. The two-time MVP was consistently on base throughout the afternoon and played a key role in the Dodgers’ seventh-inning rally.
The Dodgers trailed for much of the game after Washington jumped to an early lead. Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams led off the bottom of the first with a home run, and the team added two more runs in the inning. Washington tacked on two additional runs in the third, capitalizing on a shaky outing from Dodgers starter Landon Knack. Making his first start of the season, Knack lasted just 2 1/3 innings and allowed five earned runs.
Despite the early deficit, the Dodgers’ bullpen stabilized the game. Kirby Yates pitched a scoreless sixth inning and earned the win, improving to 1-0. Blake Treinen handled the ninth and earned his second save of the season, working around a pair of runners in scoring position before retiring James Wood on a game-ending groundout.
Los Angeles began its comeback with four runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer from Hernández, his fifth of the year. After the offense went quiet through the middle innings, the Dodgers rallied in the seventh against Nationals reliever Eduardo Salazar, who was charged with the loss and fell to 0-1.
Andy Pages tied the game at five with a solo home run, his second of the season. Ohtani followed with a single and later advanced to third. After a walk to Tommy Edman, Hernández delivered the decisive hit, a soft opposite-field single that dropped just beyond the reach of second baseman Luis García Jr., scoring Ohtani for the 6-5 lead.
Nationals starter Jake Irvin allowed four runs over six innings. He settled in after a rough first, retiring 15 of the final 17 batters he faced, and struck out seven.
The win allowed the Dodgers to avoid being swept by the Nationals for the first time since August 2008. Los Angeles concluded its road trip with a 2-4 record following series losses in Philadelphia and Washington.
Both teams will resume play Friday. The Dodgers return home to begin a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs, with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1, 1.69 ERA) scheduled to start. The Nationals will open a three-game set in Miami, where left-hander Mitchell Parker (2-0, 0.73 ERA) is set to face the Marlins.
