Diamondbacks edge Nationals 3-2 as Moreno seals the win
The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Friday night in Washington, as Gabriel Moreno's seventh-inning sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run. All-Star Eduardo Rodríguez delivered a quality start, and Paul Sewald closed it out for his 24th save in the diamondbacks nationals series opener.
Key Takeaways
- Arizona won 3-2 behind Moreno's go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh.
- Eduardo Rodríguez (9-3) allowed only Dylan Crews' two-run homer over six innings.
- The Diamondbacks have won four straight and 10 of their last 12 games.
- Paul Sewald locked down his 24th save after a scoreless bullpen finish.
- Arizona (55-49) holds the third NL Wild Card spot; Washington sits at 52-52.
Who scored the winning run for the Diamondbacks?
Moreno broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh with a sacrifice fly. After Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll singled and Geraldo Perdomo walked to load the bases with one out, Moreno flied to deep left on an 0-1 pitch from Tom Cosgrove, scoring Marte for a 3-2 lead.
The catcher also singled twice and reached base safely in his 40th straight start, moving into sole possession of the second-longest streak in club history behind Carroll's 44-game run in 2024. For more viral sports headlines, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
How did Eduardo Rodríguez bounce back?
Rodríguez held Washington to Crews' two-run shot in six innings, allowing seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts on 98 pitches. He was coming off his worst start of the season—five runs in 2 2/3 innings against St. Louis—and responded with his seventh quality start in his last eight outings, according to MLB.com.
Arizona is 16-5 in games he starts. Juan Morillo, Kevin Ginkel, and Sewald then worked three scoreless innings to seal the win.
What decided the early scoring for both clubs?
Arizona struck first in the second. Max Kepler doubled, Tyler Locklear walked, and Adrian Del Castillo sacrificed them over. Tim Tawa's safety squeeze became an infield hit that scored Kepler, and Marte's fielder's choice made it 2-0.
The Nationals tied it in the fourth when CJ Abrams singled and Crews launched his eighth homer of the year to left-center. Zack Littell (7-8) took the loss for Washington. Arizona out-hit the Nationals 8-7 and drew six walks while putting a runner on in six of nine innings.
Manager Torey Lovullo praised the little things and a lights-out bullpen. With the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline approaching, the Diamondbacks are fighting for a Wild Card berth after taking the series opener between two clubs still shaping their destinies.