WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nationals drew six walks against former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber in a four-run first inning, and Washington beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 on Tuesday night.
Luis García Jr. and Dylan Crews hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth for Washington, which is a game behind Arizona in the race for the National League's third wild-card spot.
Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer to tie a franchise rookie record for the Blue Jays,
who have lost 10 of 14 and slipped 10 games under .500, matching a season high.
Bieber (2-2) became the 11th pitcher in major league history to walk at least six batters while recording two or fewer outs, and the first since Florida’s Ryan Dempster on Oct. 5, 2001, at Atlanta. He threw 42 pitches, just 15 for strikes.
After allowing two walks and an infield single to load the bases, Bieber issued back-to-back run-scoring walks to Keibert Ruiz and Daylen Lile. After Nasim Nuñez’s sacrifice fly, Jorbit Vivas drew the inning’s fifth pass. Jacob Young then walked to make it 4-0 and end Bieber’s night.
The Nationals’ six walks were their most in an inning since moving to Washington before the 2005 season.
The start of the game was delayed 67 minutes by rain.
Washington starter Cade Cavalli (8-4) allowed three runs (two earned) and struck out three in six innings. He is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last four starts. Clayton Beeter pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save.
Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left in the fourth inning due to right hamstring tightness. Okamoto replaced him and went deep in the fifth to tie Eric Hinske’s 2002 club rookie mark.
George Springer hit a three-run blast in the eighth off Gus Varland to pull the Blue Jays within 8-6.
Toronto RHP Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) starts Wednesday's series finale against Washington RHP Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17).
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