September 4, 2026 / 10:04 PM PDT / AP
Blake Snell tossed six scoreless innings, Kyle Tucker homered for the first time since Aug. 8 and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night in their series opener.
The NL West-leading Dodgers won their fifth in a row against the Nationals dating to June 22, 2025.
Snell (3-1) allowed five hits and struck out seven. Leading 4-0, he gave up back-to-back hits to open the sixth but retired the next three batters to end the threat.
Tucker's 12th homer of the season and first at home since mid-June off reliever Luis Perales made it 5-0 in the sixth.
The Dodgers opened a four-run cushion when Alex Call, the designated hitter in Shohei Ohtani's absence, doubled and scored from third on an error by shortstop Nasim Nuñez, who dropped a ball hit by Tommy Edman, who was safe at first.
Los Angeles took a 3-0 lead on Mookie Betts' RBI single and Teoscar Hernández's two-run double off Nationals starter Jackson Kent (1-3) in the third.
Washington got three straight hits off reliever Seth Halvorsen to open the ninth. Brady House doubled and scored on pinch-hitter Abimelec Ortiz's single. Ortiz moved to third on pinch-hitter José Tena's single. Jack Dreyer came on and Ortiz scored on Jorbit Vivas' groundout to second. James Wood's RBI double scored Tena, making it 5-3, before Dreyer secured his sixth career save and second this season.
Kent gave up four runs and four hits in five innings, striking out four and walking four.
### Up next
Nationals RHP Cade Cavalli (12-5, 3.12 ERA) starts Saturday against Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 2.79).
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