 gave up eight runs - one shy of his career high - in 2 2/3 innings. The Reds piled up 11 hits, matching the most the left-hander had allowed in a game. He retired only eight of his 20 batters.''It happened so quick,'' said Corbin, who trailed 5-0 after only 21 pitches.Corbin was coming off one of his best performances, a four-hitter for his second career shutout against the Marlins on Saturday. His feared slider was a little off from the outset, and the Reds piled up six singles and Casali's homer in a 30-pitch first inning.''That was a great first inning,'' Reds manager David Bell said. ''It was really a good offensive night for the entire team.'' Casali's homer was his first this season off a regular pitcher. He also connected off Cubs catcher Victor Caratini during a 10-2 win at Wrigley Field on May 26. Casali added a single and an RBI double as the Reds piled up 15 hits.''I've been waiting for a swing like that for a long time,'' Casali said. ''Getting that big early spot was nice.'' Corbin hadn't allowed so many runs since he also gave up eight on Sept. 8, 2017, during a 10-6 loss to San Diego. It's only the fifth time in his career that he has allowed eight or more runs.''He threw some sliders they weren't chasing,'' Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ''Their approach was really good. They didn't try to do too much.'' Reds right-hander Tyler Mahle (2-5) gave up three runs in five innings, including Juan Soto's 10th homer. Soto has hit safely in a career-high 14 straight games.Cincinnati's Joey Votto returned after missing three games with a tight right hamstring and had three hits . Eugenio Suarez was back in the lineup after getting hit on the left hand by Clay Holmes' pitch on Wednesday.DOMINATIONThe Nationals are 16-5 against the Reds since 2016.WORST OF TIMESCorbin gave up a career-high nine runs during a 9-5 loss at Philadelphia on Aug. 25, 2013.RARE, YOUNG COMPANYSoto's 14-game hitting streak is the longest by a player younger than 21 since Manny Machado also put together a 14-game hitting streak in 2013. Soto turns 21 in October. He had a single, double and homer on Friday.MAY POWERThe Reds hit 45 homers in May, one shy of their club record for the month from 2007.BREAKING OUTThe Reds were last in the NL in hitting with a .207 team batting average in early May. They've scored eight or more runs in four of their last six games.REDS MOVESThe Reds claimed right-hander R. J. Alaniz off waivers from the Mariners and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville. Left-handed reliever Zach Duke was reinstated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a strained right calf. Right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson went on the injured list with a strained neck.TRAINER'S ROOMNationals: Reliever Trevor Rosenthal will throw in the bullpen on Saturday, take two days off and throw again. He has been sidelined by a viral infection since April 26.Reds: Left-handed starter Alex Wood will resume throwing in the bullpen next week. He has been on the injured list since spring training with a back injury. ... Infielder Alex Blandino will begin a rehab assignment at Louisville on Monday. He is recovering from reconstructive surgery on his right knee last July.UP NEXTNationals: Erick Fedde (1-0) makes his third start of the season and the first of his career against the Reds.Reds: Tanner Roark (4-3) makes his first start against the Nationals, who traded him to the Reds in December. Roark hasn't allowed a homer in 35 1/3 innings since April 24, the second-longest such streak of his career.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Hot-hitting Nationals open series at CincinnatiFLMThe Washington Nationals ignited their offense as a means to alter their fortunes on the heels of a season-worst, five-game losing skid.After erupting for 47 runs en route to winning five of their last six contests, the Nationals look to continue their scoring ways on Friday when they open a three-game road series against the Cincinnati Reds."We had guys injured, we had guys come back. We had guys that played that needed to just play games," Washington manager Dave Martinez said following the Nationals' 14-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. "And now things are starting to click a little bit and they're starting to play. Our lineup's got some length now, and we're starting to extend some innings." Juan Soto had an RBI single and a solo home run Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games, during which he is batting a robust .449 (22-for-49) with three homers, 13 RBIs and 13 runs.Soto told reporters that he is inching his way back to his 2018 form."Really close, really close," the 20-year-old left fielder said. "I need a little bit more, but I'm really close to (last year). I feel amazing." While Soto is in the midst of a career-high run, Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich is having a career season. The 29-year-old infielder followed up his trio of two-run homers on Tuesday with two more hits and an RBI on Wednesday in the Reds' 7-2 setback to the Pittsburgh Pirates.Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin (5-2, 2.85 ERA) will be charged with keeping Dietrich in check when he takes the mound on Friday.Corbin enters the contest with momentum, as he improved to 3-1 in his past four starts on Saturday by recording his second career shutout in a 5-0 romp over Miami. He scattered four hits, walked one and struck out five against the Marlins.The 29-year-old is 2-3 with a 3.74 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) versus Cincinnati. In his most recent meeting with the Reds, on May 30, 2018, he allowed a season-high six runs on eight hits in six innings during a 7-4 setback.Eugenio Suarez (6-for-13, homer) and Jose Peraza (5-for-12) have fared well versus Corbin. Joey Votto is just 4-for-19 with five strikeouts against the hurler.Suarez hopes to be in the lineup for the series opener after he was plunked on the left hand in the eighth inning on Wednesday. Tensions rose when Suarez elected to take a few steps toward the mound."I don't know if they are going to hit me on purpose. That's why I walked up to him and asked him if he hit me on purpose," said Suarez, a 27-year-old Venezuelan. "He said, 'No. Definitely not.' I just said I wanted to make sure because I don't like that pitch up and in, right on my face. He said, 'No.'"The catcher (Elias Diaz) told me, too, in Spanish -- he's from Venezuela -- 'No, we don't want to hit you.' I just said, 'I wanted to make sure because that hurt.' Thank God my hand feels good. No break. Just a contusion. I hope to be all right for Friday." Reds right-hander Tyler Mahle (1-5, 4.15 ERA) looks to rebound after allowing three homers and a season-high six runs in his last start -- a no-decision at the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.In his lone career start against the Nationals, Mahle also yielded six runs in 1 2/3 innings at Washington on Aug. 2, 2018.--Field Level Media
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