Washington Nationals 5-2 over Los Angeles Dodgers: Jose Lobaton, Daniel Murphy lead Nats; NLDS tied, 1-1

With a come-from-behind, 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers this afternoon in the nation’s capital, the Washington Nationals tied the NLDS matchup up at 1-1.

Corey Seager, who homered for the Dodgers in his first at bat in LA’s 4-3 win in Game 1 of the division series with the Nationals, went yard again in the first inning of Game 2, taking Tanner Roark deep on a 3-0 fastball that cleared the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. 1-0.

Roark and the Nationals fell behind by two runs when the Dodgers scored another in the third, on an RBI single to right by Josh Reddick, on which Justin Turner scored in spite of a strong throw in by Bryce Harper.

It stayed 2-0 Los Angeles until the fourth, when Jose Lobaton, who struggled in a small sample size against lefties this season (1 for 15), hit into a rally-killing, bases-loaded, 1-2-3 DP in his first AB, and dropped the throw in from Harper when Turner scored, hit a 3-run homer to left off Dodgers’ left-hander Rich Hill that put the Nationals on top, 3-2.

Daniel Murphy drove Trea Turner in from third with an RBI single in the fifth, 4-2, and drove in Jayson Werth with a two-out, RBI single in the seventh, 5-2.

That’s how it ended as the Nationals evened things up before both teams head out to LA.

NLDS now tied, 1-1

Here’s how it happened:

Corey Seager, who homered in his first at bat in Friday night’s series opener, did it again this afternoon, swinging 3-0 in his first at bat, connecting with a letter-high fastball outside from Tanner Roark and powering it out to right for a solo blast that made it 1-0 Dodgers early.

Both teams left the bases loaded after loading them with one out in the second.

The Dodgers got a walk by Justin Turner and a single by Adrian Gonzalez, who went the other way with a nice 1-0 fastball outside from Roark.

Josh Reddick stepped in next and lined a single to right, to bring Turner in from second when Jose Lobaton dropped the ball while going for the tag on a strong throw in from Bryce Harper. 2-0 LA.

Rich Hill struck out seven in three scoreless frames, but a 1-1 curve to catcher Jose Lobaton ended up in the left field bullpen for a two-out, three-run home run in the fourth as the Nationals rallied to take a 3-2 lead.

Leadoff and one-out singles by Justin Turner and Josh Reddick, respectively, ended Tanner Roark’s outing in the fifth.

Tanner Roark’s Line: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 85 P, 47 S, 6/4 GO/FO.

Marc Rzepczynski walked Yasiel Puig, loading the bases, but struck Yasmani Grandal out for the second out of the fifth. Howie Kendrick came on as a pinch hitter vs the Nats’ left-hander, and lined out to left to end the threat.

Trea Turner singled (2 for 3), stole second (SB No. 1 of the postseason) and took third on an opposite field hit by Bryce Harper before scoring on a one-out single to right-center field by Daniel Murphy, 4-2. That was it for Hill.

Rich Hill’s Line: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 Ks, 1 HR, 82 P, 47 S, 1/2 GO/FO.

Rzepczynski put two on with two out in the sixth before he was lifted in favor of fellow left-hander Sammy Solis, who got a fly to left to end the threat.

Blake Treinen retired the Dodgers in order in a 16-pitch, 1-2-3 seventh inning, and the Nationals added to their lead in the bottom of the frame with Jayson Werth doubling with two down and scoring on an RBI single to left by Daniel Murphy, 5-2.

Treinen and Oliver Perez combined for a scoreless eighth inning, and Mark Melancon came out in the ninth to end it. Ballgame. 5-2 Nationals.

NLDS now tied at 1-1

NATS NOTES:

• Washington averaged 15.8 wins per month this season, and their 95-67 record on the year was the second-best in the National League, behind only the Chicago Cubs (103-58).
• Washington was also 51-25 against the NL East this season, the most wins within a division for any team in the majors this season.
• If the Nationals can get to the World Series, it would snap an 83-year stretch since the last trip to the Series by a D.C.-based team. It’s been 92 years since a team from the nation’s capital won it all.
• In today’s “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: The Nationals have the second-most wins in the majors... since 2012, having won 458 since the start of the 2012 campaign, behind only the St. Louis Cardinals, who’ve won 461 over that stretch.
• The Dodgers ranked third in the NL in the regular season with a .986 fld% as a team, behind only the Giants and Nationals (tied, .988) and committed the third-fewest errors (80).
• LA led the NL in comeback wins, with 46, which were the second-most in the majors, behind only the Texas Rangers (49).
• Tanner Roark allowed three earned runs in 7 ¹⁄₃ IP when he faced the Dodgers in LA in June.
• Roark gave up two earned runs or less in six of his last seven outings, going back to August 29th, and he posted a 2.89 ERA and a .189 BAA over that stretch.
• Dodgers’ pitchers, as a group, combined for 1,510 strikeouts, a single season record in the majors.

NLDS now tied at 1-1