The Dodgers were able to jump out on top early against the Nationals in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Facing Max Scherzer, Justin Turner blasted a solo homer to left-center field on a 95.5 mph fastball. Turner's second postseason homer came on an 0-1 pitch with two outs in the top of the first. He now has nine career postseason homers, which is third all-time in Dodgers history.
Scherzer got out of the inning allowing just that one run. Corey Seager had a double in the second inning, but did not score. The Dodgers went 1-2-3 in the third.
Left-hander Rich Hill kept the Nats off the board in the first two innings. Howie Kendrick smacked a leadoff single to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning, but a strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play ended the scoring opportunity.
In the third, the Nats tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rendon to left-center that scored Michael A. Taylor. But with the bases loaded and two away against Dodgers reliever Kenta Maeda, Kendrick grounded out to third base to end the threat.
After three innings, the Nats and the Dodgers are tied at 1-1.
Update: In the bottom of the fifth, Rendon connected on an RBI single to left field to give the Nats the lead. With two outs, Ryan Zimmerman crushed a three-run homer to deep center field off Pedro Báez to break the tie. It was Zimmerman's first homer of this postseason and fourth in 23 career playoff games.
After five innings, the Nats lead the Dodgers 5-1.
Update II: In the sixth, Trea Turner doubled and took third on a wild pitch. Rendon added another sacrifice fly, this time to center field, to score Turner.
After six innings, the Nats lead the Dodgers 6-1.
Update III: Scherzer did his job in the biggest game of the season to date for the Nats, posting seven innings, allowing one run on four hits with three walks (one intentional) and seven strikeouts. He threw 109 pitches, 72 for strikes. In the eighth, Sean Doolittle delivered a clean 1-2-3 inning.
Mid-eighth, the Nats lead the Dodgers 6-1.
Update IV: In the ninth, Doolittle got Seager to fly out to left field. Daniel Hudson then was summoned and allowed an infield sinlge to David Freese. But then Hudson struck out Gavin Lux and Smith flew out to right field to end the game.
The Nats have forced a Game 5.
Final score: Nats 6, Dodgers 1.