Reds 5, Nationals 2
CINCINNATI -- Joey Votto and Todd Frazier homered and rookie Anthony DeSclafani pitched six solid innings to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Great American Ball Park.
Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg left the game in the second inning with an undisclosed injury and was replaced by right-hander Taylor Jordan (0-1), who allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
There was no immediate word on Strasburg's condition. Earlier Friday, the Nationals (28-20) learned that left fielder Jayson Werth will be out indefinitely with a fractured wrist.
DeSclafani (3-4) allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings for Cincinnati (20-27), which won for just the second time in 12 games.
The Reds were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position when center fielder Billy Hamilton's RBI bloop single put them ahead 3-2 in the sixth.
Shortstop Zack Cozart, who went 3-for-5, drove home Hamilton for Cincinnati's fourth run.
Frazier’s 15th homer of the season, on an 0-1 pitch from Blake Treinen, made the score 5-2 in the seventh.
Things got tense momentarily in the top of the seventh when Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper, who went 1-for-4, was struck in the back by a pitch from left-hander Tony Cingrani. Harper emphatically tossed his bat and shin guard before walking to first base, where he briefly exchanged words with Votto.
Cingrani issued three walks to load the bases in the eighth, but reliever J.J. Hoover fanned Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond to end the threat.
Reds closer Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
DeSclafani, one of three rookies to start for Cincinnati in the weekend series, worked out of a first-and-third jam in the first, striking out Harper and getting first baseman Ryan Zimmerman to fly to center.
Votto put the Reds ahead 1-0 with his eighth home run of the season, a blast to center on a 2-2 pitch from Strasburg.
After walking Reds catcher Brayan Pena to begin the second, Strasburg visited with the training staff and Nationals manager Matt Williams on the mound. Moments later, he walked into the dugout.
Strasburg threw eight of his 16 pitches for strikes before being replaced by Jordan.
DeSclafani retired 10 of 12 after his shaky start.
Small ball helped the Nationals tie the score 1-1 in the fifth.
Washington loaded the bases on Jordan's perfectly placed sacrifice bunt with one out. The tying run scored from third when shortstop Ian Desmond's dribbler down the third-base line resulted in an infield hit.
NOTES: Nationals SS Ian Desmond extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a first-inning single. ... Nationals manager Matt Williams confirmed reports that a CT scan performed Thursday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., revealed two small fractures in LF Jayson Werth's left wrist. Werth returned to Washington to begin the recovery process. ... OF Michael Taylor started in left field for Washington on Friday night. Taylor, Tyler Moore and Clint Robinson are expected to remain in a left-field rotation for the Nationals. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips missed his third straight start with turf toe. He could return to the lineup on Saturday. ... Reds RHP Johnny Cueto, who has had elbow stiffness, has resumed throwing. The earliest Cueto could make his next start is Tuesday in Philadelphia. ... RHP Michael Lorenzen will start Sunday's series finale for Cincinnati.