Washington Nationals 18-3 over Cincinnati Reds: Trea Turner 5 for 5 with a walk in win...

Washington’s offense started the day leading the National League in AVG (.276), OBP (.341), SLG (.475), home runs (114), hits (710), extra-base hits (272), runs scored (404), and RBIs (396), and they showed the Cincinnati Reds just how powerful that offense can be, pounding Reds’ pitching in what ended up an 18-3 win.

Nationals’ starter Joe Ross had all the run-support he would need after the bottom of the second, but the Nats just. kept. adding. runs. with a six-run second, four-run fourth and runs in the fifth, sixth innings and eighth innings as well as they knocked Reds’ starter Homer Bailey out after 1 ²⁄₃ innings and continued to send hits all around the yard all afternoon.

Ross ended up going seven strong, giving up just one run on six hits in seven innings in a 103-pitch effort.

Michael A. Taylor homered twice (Nos. 9-10 on the season) and added a double for his fourth hit of the day, Trea Turner went 5 for 5 with a walk and three runs scored, and Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, and Matt Wieters had multi-hit games as the NL East-leading Nationals cruised to their second straight over the Reds.

Nationals now 45-29

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Trea Turner singled and Brian Goodwin walked to start the Nationals’ half of the first, and one out later, both runners scored on an opposite field double to right field by Ryan Zimmerman, who worked the count full against Reds’ starter Homer Bailey and lined a 95 mph fastball the other way, 2-0.

• Michael A. Taylor and Trea Turner hit opposite field singles in the second, with Taylor scoring from second on Turner’s hit after Joe Ross bunted the No. 8 hitter over, 3-0.

• Brian Goodwin and Ryan Zimmerman walked to load the bases in the second, and Daniel Murphy worked the count full and took the eighth pitch from Bailey to right, clearing the bases and putting the Nationals up, 6-0.

Anthony Rendon drove Murphy in with an RBI double and then scored on a single by Matt Wieters, 8-0, before Wieters was thrown out making an ill-advised attempt for second [ed. note - “He’s kind of slow.”]

• Homer Bailey’s Line: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 2 Ks, 61 P, 34 S, 3/0 GO/FO.

• Reds’ right-hander Lisaverto Bonilla finished off the second and kept the Nationals in check with a scoreless third, but Ryan Zimmerman reached on a wild pitch/K with one down in the fourth, and Anthony Rendon drew a two-out walk in front of Matt Wieters, who hit an RBI single that drove in Zim, 9-0. Rendon scored on an error on the throw in, 10-0, and Michael A. Taylor followed with a two-run jack that made it 12-0 Nationals.

• Trea Turner was 4 for 4 on the day after he led off the fifth with a single to left field, and one out later, Harper and Zimmerman hit back-to-back base hits to load’em up in front of Murphy again. Murphy’s sac fly scored Turner from third, 13-0 after five.

• Michael A. Taylor’s second home run of the game and 10th home run of the season made it 14-1 Nationals in the sixth.

• Joe Ross’s Line: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ks, 1 HR, 103 P, 74 S, 6/3 GO/FO.

• Joe Blanton took over for Ross in the eighth, and gave up another hit to the first batter he faced (Billy Hamilton).

UPDATED: First batters of appearance vs Joe Blanton in 2017: 11 for 17 (.647 AVG).

Scooter Gennett doubled to right in the next at bat, and Patrick Kivlehan sent a chopper over the mound to bring in the Reds’ second run of the game, 14-2.

Eugenio Suarez hit a sac fly to center to bring Gennett in, 14-3 after seven and a half.

• Michael A. Taylor’s fourth hit of the day was a leadoff double in the eighth, and it was the first of four straight hits as Wilmer Difo, Trea Turner (5 for 5), and Brian Goodwin all connected for hits, 16-3. Adam Lind hit a bases-loaded sac fly to the wall in right, falling a few feet short of a grand slam, 17-3, and Jose Lobaton’s sac fly made it 18-3.

• Jacob Turner tossed a quick ninth to end it... mercifully.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• With last night’s win, Washington is 38-43 against Cincinnati in the all-time series between the two teams, though the Nationals are 18-16 against the Reds since 2012.
• The Reds started the day 1-3 on their current road trip, and 1-9 on their last two road trip, with losses in 12 of their last 13 road games.
• Brian Goodwin had his first multi-homer game last night, and he’s 8 for 14 (.571 AVG) with five homers, three walks, and five runs scored in his last four games in D.C.
• Washington’s offense started the day leading the NL in AVG (.276), OBP (.341), SLG (.475), home runs (114), extra-base hits (272), hits (710), runs scored (404), and RBIs (396).
• Washington’s starters began the day leading the majors in Ks (466).
• Cincinnati starter Homer Bailey was making his first appearance for the Reds since 8/28/16.
• JINX CORNER: Heading into today’s game, the Nationals had played 73 games this season without being shut out.

Nationals now 45-29