Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Lind each had two-run doubles in a seven-run eighth inning to help the Washington Nationals rally past the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 on Wednesday night.
Bryce Harper was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Chris Segal after striking out in the eighth inning with runners on the corners. Harper’s single in the first inning extended his hitting streak to a career-high 18 games.
Tied 2-2, Zimmerman immediately picked up his fellow All-Star by lacing a liner into the right field corner. All-Star Daniel Murphy’s homer pulled Washington within 2-1 in the seventh.
Jimmy Nelson struck out 10 and allowed one run and four hits in seven innings plus a batter. Jacob Barnes (3-2) entered with a 2-1 lead and surrendered two runs and two hits while recording only one out.
Ryan Madson (1-0) tossed one scoreless inning for the win.
Nelson exited after walking Matt Wieters leading off the eighth. Brian Goodwin’s double off Barnes put two runners in scoring position with one out. After Wilmer Difo’s single through the right side of the infield drove in the tying run, Harper faced reliever Josh Hader. Two pitches after visibly disliking a called strike, Harper struck out swinging. He slammed his bat to the ground and went nose-to-nose with Segal for his second ejection of the season.
Washington had six hits including four doubles in the eighth. Pedro Severino’s RBI double put Washington up 8-2.
Murphy’s homer ended a stretch of 17 1/3 scoreless innings for Washington.
Gio Gonzalez surrendered two runs on five hits and had eight strikeouts for Washington.
Santana’s first inning blast, estimated at 476 feet, landed on the concourse beyond the left field stands.
Harper finished 1 of 4 and is batting .416 (30 for 72) during his streak. The All-Star also reached base safely in his 26th consecutive game, matching his career-best.
Milwaukee recalled Lewis Brinson from Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he was hitting .345 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs. He hit .097 in 31 at-bats last month with the Brewers in his only previous major league action. He homered on Wednesday night for his first in the majors.
Brewers right-hander Matt Garza (4-5, 3.83 ERA) was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Sunday with a lower right leg strain. Garza said he was optimistic he would miss only one start.
Nationals manager Dusty Baker did not have an update on whether right-hander Stephen Strasburg would make his next scheduled start, but said the Nationals were taking a big picture approach. Strasburg left Sunday’s appearance after two innings with forearm pain that doctors later diagnosed as a nerve impingement. Washington entered Wednesday with an 11 ½ game lead in the NL East. . The Nationals reinstated outfielder Ryan Raburn from the bereavement list and promptly placed him on the 10day DL retroactive to July 23 with a left trapezius strain.
Brewers righty Michael Blazek (0-0, 0.00) takes Garza’s place in the rotation for the 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Thursday. It is Blazek’s first career start after 108 relief appearances since 2013. He faces Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer (11-5, 2,26), who allowed five runs and three home runs in his previous start at Arizona on July 21.
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