Michael Soroka threw six scoreless innings and Alex Call homered to propel the Washington Nationals to a 2-0 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday.
Soroka (3-3) allowed just two hits while striking out seven and walking one for the Nationals, who had dropped three of four games prior to the series opener.
The Washington bullpen kept Texas hitless for the final three innings. Closer Kyle Finnegan retired the first two Rangers he faced in the ninth before Marcus Semien reached on CJ Abrams’ fielding error. Finnegan got Jake Burger to pop out to end the game, securing his 18th save of the season.
Patrick Corbin (3-5) — a former Nationals pitcher — threw an eight-inning complete game, allowing two earned runs on five hits, striking out two and walking none. Adolis Garcia and Josh Smith each tallied a hit for the Rangers, who dropped their fourth straight game.
Washington struck first in the bottom of the second as Nathaniel Lowe and Call began the inning with singles before Robert Hassell III drove in the game’s first run with a groundout.
Garcia’s two-out single in the top of the fifth marked the Rangers’ first hit and only their second baserunner after Kyle Higashioka was hit by a pitch in the third.
Corbin cruised through the bottom of the fifth with a five-pitch inning.
Smith laced a one-out single in the sixth while Corey Seager worked a two-out walk, but Soroka escaped the jam by inducing Semien’s flyout.
Brad Lord relieved Soroka in the seventh, retiring Burger and Evan Carter on two pitches before getting Garcia to pop out to end the inning. Jose Ferrer added a perfect eighth.
Call doubled Washington’s lead in the seventh with a 407-foot solo shot — his first of the year.
–Field Level Media
