The Washington Nationals pounced on Milwaukee starter Aaron Civale early and held off a late-game push by the visiting Brewers to hang on for a 6-4 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Nationals ended a five-game losing streak and evened the three-game series with the Brewers that concludes on Sunday.
Washington’s Luis Garcia Jr. finished 3-for-4, with one RBI, three runs, a double and his 12th home run of the year, a solo shot off Civale in the third inning for a 5-0 lead.
Milwaukee cut into a 6-1 deficit by scoring three runs across the seventh and eighth innings. Rhys Hoskins hit a solo home run, his 19th of the season. Jackson Chourio scored on a wild pitch and Gary Sanchez followed up with a two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth to make it a two-run game.
Chourio also accounted for the Brewers’ first run with an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning.
Milwaukee stranded a runner on second base in the top of the ninth.
Nationals starter DJ Herz (2-4) earned his first win since June 15. He pitched five innings of two-hit ball, with one unearned run allowed. He struck out six batters and gave up one walk.
Kyle Finnegan got the last four outs for his 29th save of the season.
The winless streak continues for Milwaukee’s Civale (2-8), who was saddled with the loss. Civale has now made 19 consecutive starts since his last win on April 9. He gave up five earned runs on seven hits, with three strikeouts and one walk in four innings.
Travis Blankenhorn had a two-run double and Keibert Ruiz and Alex Call each had an RBI to help give the Nationals a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
James Wood made it 6-1 for Washington in the fifth when he singled up the middle to bring home Garcia.
Following their hot start at the plate, the Nationals had just one hit after the fifth inning.
–Field Level Media
