Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Matt Kemp blasted the go-ahead solo home run
in the top of the ninth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers topped the
Washington Nationals, 7-6, in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Nationals
Park.
Trailing, 6-0, heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Nationals
mounted a furious rally to tie the game at six, but in the top half of the
ninth, Kemp got a high fastball from Washington closer Tyler Clippard (2-5)
and deposited it onto the lawn beyond the center-field wall to give LA the
lead again.
Hanley Ramirez drove in three runs, while Kemp finished 2-for-4 with three
runs scored and two RBI for the Dodgers, who are two games behind St. Louis
for the final wild-card berth in the National League. The Cardinals blanked
Houston, 5-0, on Wednesday.
Ronald Belisario (7-1) got the final two outs of the rocky eighth inning to
get the win behind starter Josh Beckett, who allowed four runs -- three earned
-- on five hits over 7 1/3 innings. Brandon League worked a 1-2-3 ninth for
his third save.
Michael Morse ripped a solo homer and knocked in three runs -- all in the
eighth inning --, while Steve Lombardozzi added a two-run shot for the
Nationals, who won the opener of the twinbill behind six solid innings from
Jordan Zimmerman.
The Sports Network