James Wood doubled in two runs and Foster Griffin and three relievers combined on a two-hitter as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated Milwaukee 3-1 on Saturday night, handing the Brewers their fourth consecutive loss.
The Brewers managed just one hit until William Contreras opened the ninth with his second homer, but the hosts stranded the bases loaded.
The Nationals snapped a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth off starter Kyle Harrison (1-1). Jacob Young singled leading off and took third on Nasim Nunez’s double. One out later, Wood drove in both runners with a line-drive double to left.
Washington added a run in the ninth when Nunez walked with two outs and Keibert Ruiz followed with an RBI double into the right field corner.
Contreras opened the bottom half with a 378-foot shot to right-center off Clayton Beeter.
Christian Yelich then reached on a swinging strikeout and continued to second on the wild pitch. Brandon Lockridge walked with one out and both runners advanced on a two-out wild pitch. Garrett Mitchell was walked intentionally to load the bases, but Beeter got Joey Ortiz on a comebacker.
The Brewers, held hitless through five innings by Foster Griffin, also left the bases loaded in the sixth.
Griffin (2-0) allowed just two walks through five before Ortiz singled up the middle to open the sixth. Griffin walked Brice Turang and got Luis Rengifo on a popout before being relieved by Brad Lord. Both runners advanced on a groundout and Yelich was walked intentionally to load the bases. Pinch hitter Jake Bauers bounced out to second.
Griffin allowed just one hit in 5 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out one. Lord followed with 1 2/3 hitless innings. Cionel Perez tossed a hitless eighth and Beeter finished for his second save.
The Brewers have scored just six runs during their four losses. All their runs in the last three games before Contreras’ homer came on Bauer’s three-run shot in the first inning of Friday’s 7-3 loss to the Nationals.
Harrison allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out one and walking one, with one hit batter.
Harrison dodged injury on the first play of the game when first baseman Gary Sanchez mishandled Wood’s bouncer. Harrison fell awkwardly covering first while trying to corral Sanchez’s hurried, off-target throw. The left-hander got up gingerly, but stayed in the game.
