OAKLAND — Daniel Murphy and Brian Goodwin each had four hits, including a home run, and Stephen Strasburg pitched seven strong innings as the Washington Nationals defeated the Oakland Athletics 13-3 on Friday night.
Murphy was 4 for 5 with two RBIs including his 10th home run. He’s 10 for 18 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs over his last four games since missing three games last weekend with an illness.
Goodwin played right field in place of Bryce Harper, who was serving the third of his four-game suspension for his role in Monday’s brawl with the San Francisco Giants. His home run was his first in the majors and the four hits were a career high.
Dusty Baker’s 1,800th managerial win was Washington’s fourth straight and ninth in 11 games. The Nationals combined for 20 hits.
Oakland lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Strasburg (7-1) struck out seven and allowed two runs, four hits and three walks.
Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon was 2 for 5 with a home run, a double and three RBIs.
The Nationals broke a 2-2 tie in a decisive four-run fourth inning rally in which they sent 10 batters to the plate, five of whom reached safely with two outs.
Murphy and Michael Taylor hit solo home runs off A’s starter Andrew Triggs (5-5) to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead.
Matt Joyce hit a two-run home run off a 0-1 94 mph fastball Strasburg left over heart of the plate in the bottom of the third.
Triggs lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and nine hits including two home runs in his shortest start of the season.
Reliever Zach Neal gave up seven runs and nine hits including three home runs in 3 1/3 innings.
A’s first baseman Yonder Alonso hit his 15th home run.
FRANCHISE FIRST
The win was the first in franchise history against the A’s in Oakland going back to when they were the Montreal Expos. The franchise is 4-6 against the A’s and 1-6 at Oakland.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: OF Chris Heisey suffered a setback rehabbing from a ruptured biceps at Double-A Harrisburg, the degree to which wasn’t yet clear, manager Dusty Baker said. Heisey joined the team in Oakland on Friday. “He might have rushed it,” Baker said.
Athletics: SS Marcus Semien, out since April 15 with a right wrist fracture, took dry swings with a fungo bat earlier this week and threw from 75 feet on Friday. . RHP Jessie Hahn (right triceps strain) threw 75 pitches in a rehab start for Class A Stockton on Wednesday. Hahn reported no soreness but manager Bob Melvin said the A’s are concerned about a dip in his velocity. . LHP Sean Doolittle (left shoulder strain) pitched a scoreless inning for Class A Stockton in a rehab assignment. He’ll pitch at least once more in the minors before returning to the A’s bullpen, Melvin said.
UP NEXT
RHP Joe Ross (2-1, 6.18 ERA) has given up five earned runs in three of his last four starts for Washington. RHP Daniel Mengden (0-1, 13.50) gave up five runs in 3 1/3 innings for the A’s in his first 2017 start. He is 0-7 in eight career home starts in Oakland.
