Washington Nationals drop series opener to Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-0: Edwin Jackson hit hard, out early vs LA...

In his last three starts, all losses, Edwin Jackson has now surrendered 18 hits (seven of them home runs), and 17 runs (16 earned) in just 11 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. E-Jax was done for the night tonight after giving up six hits (3 HRs) and seven runs (all earned) in 2 ¹⁄3 IP against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the series opener in Nationals Park, putting the Washington Nationals in a 7-0 hole before he was lifted.

Justin Turner (20) took E-Jax deep in the first. Yasiel Puig homered in the second (26), and Corey Seager’s three-run blast (20) later in the second inning blew things wide open for the visiting team, as the Dodgers won their third straight, 7-0, after dropping 16 of 17 before the last three wins.

Not much else to report on this one. An ugly night for Jackson, and Dodgers’ starter Alex Wood held the Nationals off the board through six, striking out eight batters on 91 pitches to earn his 15th win of the season (W, 15-3).

The Nationals’ relievers (Sammy Solis, Matt Grace, Joe Blanton, Enny Romero, Shawn Kelley, and Austin Adams) were solid... that’s all we’ve got.

Nationals now 89-58

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Edwin Jackson retired the first two batters he faced in the series opener with the Dodgers, but a 3-2 fastball up in the zone and over the middle of the plate to LA’s hot-hitting third baseman, Justin Turner, ended up sailing over the left field fence for a solo shot that put the Dodgers up early, 1-0. Turner’s 20th.

• It was 2-0 LA after Yasiel Puig hit a 2-1 slider outside out to right for the second solo shot of the game and Jackson’s 6th home run allowed in his last three starts. No. 26 of 2017 for Puig.

• Chase Utley doubled to right after Puig’s homer and scored one out later when Andre Ethier sent a fly to right that Jayson Werth either never saw or lost. It sailed over the head of the Nationals’ right fielder and bounced over the outfield wall for an RBI ground-rule double that made it 3-0 Dodgers.

• E-Jax walked Chris Taylor with two down in the second, putting two on, and Corey Seager crushed a first-pitch fastball, sending a three-run home run over the center field fence for a 6-0 Dodgers’ lead.

• Jackson gave up a walk and a single in the first two at bats of the third, putting runners on the corners in front of Chase Utley, who grounded into a force at second that brought in the Dodgers’ seventh run, 7-0.

• Edwin Jackson’s Line: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks, 3 HRs, 55 P, 31 S, 1/2 GO/FO.

• Sammy Solis finished the third, and Matt Grace retired the Dodgers in order in a nine-pitch fourth.

• Dodgers’ lefty Alex Wood was up to 63 pitches after he retired the Nationals in order in a 13-pitch fourth, and he worked around a leadoff single with a swinging K and an inning-ending double play in a 12-pitch fifth that pushed him up to 75.

• Joe Blanton took over on the mound in the sixth after Grace tossed two scoreless on 25 pitches.

• Enny Romero worked around a two-out double in a scoreless, 11-pitch seventh.

• Alex Wood’s Line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 Ks, 91 P, 63 S, 4/3 GO/FO.

• Pedro Baez issued back-to-back walks to Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth in the first two at bats of the Nats’ seventh, but stranded both runners in a scoreless 7th.

• Shawn Kelley tossed a quick, 11-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the eighth.

• Daniel Murphy took a two-out walk from Dodgers’ righty Brock Stewart in the home half of the eighth, but he was stranded at first.

• Austin Adams picked up three Ks, working around a walk in a scoreless, 19-pitch top of the ninth.

• Brock Stewart came back out for the bottom of the ninth and worked around a single by Anthony Rendon. Final Score: 7-0 Dodgers.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• LA had a 45-29 advantage in the all-time series with Washington heading into this weekend’s three-game set in D.C.
• Washington took 2 of 3 from the Dodgers in LA when the Nationals were out West in June.
• Washington (89-57) and Los Angeles (94-52) start the weekend with the top records in the National League.
• Dusty Baker started the night one win shy of reaching 90-plus wins as a manager for the 10th time in his career on the bench.
• Trea Turner stole his 40th base of the season earlier this week, and the Nationals’ shortstop currently ranks third in the majors in stolen bases behind only Dee Gordon (53), and Billy Hamilton (58).
• In today’s “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: Trea Turner is hitting .311 with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, seven walks, five steals, and 14 runs scored... since he came off the Disabled List on August 29th.
• Washington’s offense started this weekend’s series leading the NL in SLG (.454), runs scored (755), and OPS (.788), and the Nationals were ranked second in the NL in AVG (.269), and extra-base hits (755).
• LA’s run differential on the season (+171) was the best in the National League heading into this weekend’s series, 25 runs better than Washington (2nd place).

Nationals now 89-58