By MATT PIKE
Luis García Jr. hit a go-ahead single, Dylan Crews added a three-run homer and the Washington Nationals scored five times in the fifth inning to beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 at Nationals Park.
Curtis Mead got Washington on the board in the third inning with a two-out single that bounced off the glove of Royals second baseman Nick Loftin and into center field, scoring Nasim Nuñez and James Wood, for a 2-0 lead. Starling Marte scored for Kansas City in the fourth inning on Carter Jensen's infield single to cut the Nationals lead to one before Maikel Garcia added a two-run single single in the fifth, driving in Bobby Witt Jr and Jac Caglianone, that gave the Royals a 3-2 lead.
García's two-run single in the bottom half of the fifth inning, bringing home Keibert Ruiz and Nuñez, to give the Nationals a 4-3 lead. Three batters later, Crews launched a drive to left field for his fourth homer this season, extending the lead scoring Wood and Garcia. Kansas City starter Mitch Spence, starting in place of Seth Lugo, fell to 0-1 on the season and was charged with six runs and seven hits in four innings, walking one and striking out one.
At the plate, Caglianone was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Loftin was 2-for-3, also hitting a double, and drawing a walk. Garcia was 1-for-4 with two RBI's.
Kansas City and Washington continue their series tomorrow. Michael Wacha (4-5, 3.58 ERA, 69K's) starts for the Royals against former Royal Foster Griffin (7-2, 3.46 ERA, 74K's) for the Nationals. First pitch is at 5:45pm, pregame at 5 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
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