Regular Season Matchups: Washington Nationals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are headed to Washington this weekend to begin the National League Division Series against the Nationals. Many fans are on the confident side when it comes to this matchup, probably because Los Angeles took 5 out of 6 games from them during the regular season. Here is a breakdown of all 6 games!
Monday, June 20 
Kenley Jansen achieved the Los Angeles Dodgers’ all-time saves record with 162 to close out the Washington Nationals line-up. The save also made him the first Dodger with five 20-save seasons. Starter Clayton Kershaw allowed three hits in six innings pitched and struck out eight Nationals. Steven Strasburg was scratched an hour before the game and was replaced by Yusmeiro Petit.
Justin Turner belted a 418-foot home run to extend his hitting streak to eight games. During his streak, he hit .467 with five home runs, as a result, he went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI in the Dodgers 4-1 win against the Nationals.
Tuesday, June 21 
Yasmani Grandal hit a three-run home run in the eight to take the 3-2 lead against the Washington Nationals. The Los Angeles Dodgers took the second game of the series and extended their winning streak to a season-high five games.
Grandal homered off of Tanner Roark, who had a two-run lead by solo shots by Bryce Harper in the first and Danny Espinosa in the fifth off of Scott Kazmir. Kazmir held the Nationals to two runs on eight hits in six innings pitched.
Wednesday, June 22
Yasiel Puig hit a game-winning single in the ninth that turned into an inside-the-park home run. The play was misread by center fielder Michael Taylor that Puig and Howie Kendrick scored on.
Chase Utley scored his 1,000th run of his 14-year career on a wild pitch by Joe Ross. He is the 14th active player to score 1,000 runs in his MLB career. The last Dodger to do so was Devon White in 1999.
Los Angeles Dodgers lead series 3 games to 0
Dodgers vs Nationals: Position PlayersTuesday, July 19
Scott Kazmir had another successful outing against the Washington Nationals allowing one run on four hits in seven innings for the 8-4 win. Nationals rookie Reynaldo Lopez made his Major League debut as the Dodgers hit him hard, winning 8-4.
Chase Utley started the rally in the first with a leadoff homer and finished with a 3-RBI night. Joc Pederson added to the Dodgers success with a 2 RBI single in the first. Even though, Lopez struck out nine Dodger batters in 4 2/3 innings, the Dodgers and Kazmir fought through the struggles of being on the road.
Wednesday, July 20
The Nationals’ bats came alive as four batters homered in the game including Bryce Harper in the first and Jayson Werth in the fifth against Bud Norris in the 8-1 win. Another significant play for the Nationals came in the sixth as Trea Turner steals home. The last Nationals player to steal home was Harper on May 6, 2012, against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The only run that Gio Gonzalez allowed was off of Charlie Culberson’s single to right field in the second inning. Gonzalez struck out six Dodger batters and held down the line-up to three hits.
Thursday, July 21
Justin Turner was the hero of the game as he homered off of Steven Strausburg in the first and third inning with a 5-RBI night. The Dodgers took two out of three from the Nationals in their second series in the regular season.
Strasburg collected his first loss of the season after going 13-0 in 2016. He allowed six runs on seven hits in six innings pitched. Julio Urias got the start for the Dodgers and lasted four innings and allowed one run on five hits and fanned four Nationals. Adam Liberatore received the win for the Dodgers and Kenley Jansen with his 28th save of the season in the 6-3 win.
