Difo's first career homer helps Nationals beat Diamondbacks
WASHINGTON -- Wilmer Difo hit the first homer of his career, Pedro Severino clubbed his second and Michael A. Taylor had three hits and two RBIs as the Washington Nationals used a patchwork lineup to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 Thursday.
Washington (93-66), which clinched the National League East title Saturday, is 48-30 at home while last-place Arizona (66-93) ended the year 36-45 in road games as the teams split the four-game series.
Difo, who started at second, hit a solo homer to left in the fifth to give the Nationals a 5-1 lead. The homer came in his 66th at-bat over the past two seasons. He also made a fine play in the field to end the sixth as he threw out Socrates Brito.
Washington scored three runs in the fourth for a 4-1 advantage.
Danny Espinosa drove in the first run with a groundout with the bases loaded, and Taylor had a two-run single with two outs off Arizona starter Robbie Ray (8-15), who gave up five runs, five hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
Taylor and Ray were teammates at Class A Potomac of the Carolina League in 2012 and 2013 in the Washington farm system.
The Nationals appeared to have another run in the fourth when Joe Ross beat out an infield single as Taylor scored from second. But the call at first was overturned after a challenge by Arizona.
The Nationals tied the game at 1-1 in the third as Severino, in his 14th game of the year, hit a solo homer down the left field line.
Washington's Ross was making his third start since going on the disabled list in early July with right shoulder inflammation. Ross went four innings and gave up three hits and one run with two walks and five strikeouts while throwing 90 pitches.
The right-hander lasted just three innings on Sept. 18 at Atlanta and went 2 2/3 innings on Saturday in Pittsburgh while throwing 63 pitches.
Winning pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (5-3), who came on with two outs in the fifth, gave up a two-run homer with one out in the ninth to Brito to make it 5-3. Mark Melancon got the last two outs for the save, his 45th overall this year and 15th with Washington.
The Nationals began the day two games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second-best record in the National League. The team with the better record will get the home field advantage for the NLDS that begins Oct. 7. The Dodgers hold the tiebreaker since they were 5-1 against Washington this year.
NOTES: Arizona 2B Jean Segura left the game in the top of the seventh after he leaned back from a pitch from RHP Reynaldo Lopez. Segura had a single in the third to give him 201 hits this season. Peter O'Brien pinch-hit for Segura with a 1-1 count and struck out. ...Washington RF Bryce Harper (thumb), INF Daniel Murphy (buttocks) and C Wilson Ramos (torn ACL) were all out of the starting lineup. Ramos is out for the year after he was hurt Monday. Harper (.244, 24 homers) has not played since Sunday and Murphy (.347, 25 homers) has not played since Sept. 20 when he pinch-hit against the Miami Marlins. The Nationals hope to have Harper and Murphy in time for the NLDS opener Oct. 7. ... The Nationals begin a three-game series at home Friday against the Miami Marlins. RHP Andrew Cashner (5-11, 5.13) will start for the Marlins against Washington RHP A.J. Cole (1-2, 5.09). ... Diamondbacks RHP Braden Shipley (4-5, 5.26) will face San Diego RHP Edwin Jackson (5-6, 5.77) on Friday in Arizona. ... Arizona OF Yasmany Tomas (stiff neck) was a late scratch from the starting lineup and was replaced by OF Mitch Haniger.