The Washington Nationals returned home Friday night after a long three-city road trip.
But the struggles continued for the defending National League East champions, who lost 5-4 to the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Nationals (11-15) have now lost five of their last six games and are just 3-8 at Nationals Park this year.
Nationals third baseman Wilmer Difo, playing for the injured Anthony Rendon, drove in a run on sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to give Washington a 4-3 lead.
But first-place Arizona (18-7) responded with two runs in the sixth, taking a 5-4 lead on an RBI triple by A.J. Pollock and a sacrifice fly by Daniel Descalso.
Pollock tormented the Nationals all night, hitting a homer off starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg in the second inning and finishing with three hits.
Strasburg (2-3) gave up just six hits, but was charged with five earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.
The Nationals had 11 hits, but left the bases loaded in the fourth as Bryce Harper struck out and Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to end the threat. Harper lined out to start the last of the ninth, Zimmerman grounded out and Moises Sierra fanned for the final out.
The Nationals tied the game at 2 in the third on a two-run homer by Howie Kendrick (three hits), who hammered an 0-2 pitch over the fence in center off Arizona starter Zack Godley (4-1).
Washington’s Andrew Stevenson, who had a career-high four hits Wednesday in San Francisco, got the start in center field over Michael A. Taylor.
Manager Dave Martinez said the Nationals wanted to be careful with Taylor, who injured his groin on a check swing Wednesday. “I want to be cautious,” Martinez said. Taylor pinch-hit in the eighth and grounded out.
Nationals GM: “Nobody said it would be easy”
The Nationals have won the previous two National League East titles and were favorites to win it again this year. But the club entered Friday five games back of the first-place New York Mets.
Washington has been rattled by injuries and a bullpen ERA of 5.28 with just one win – the lowest mark in the league – through Thursday.
“It’s a grind, man. Nobody said it would be easy,” general manager Mike Rizzo said Friday. “We have a target on our back.”
Rizzo also gave an update on three key position players who are out of the lineup: second baseman Daniel Murphy, third baseman Rendon and left fielder Adam Eaton. Murphy had knee surgery in October and has not played in a game yet but has been working out in Florida.
Eaton, hitting .345 over just eight games, has been on the disabled list since April 11 with a bone bruise to his left ankle. Rendon (.286 in 14 games) has been on the DL since Sunday with a toe contusion.
“He has progressed well. Hopefully not too far” away from playing, Rizzo said of Rendon.
Rizzo said Eaton was being re-evaluated Friday by team doctors. The team has not decided if Murphy will play in minor league rehab games or not before joining the Nationals, Rizzo said.
Hellickson to start Saturday
Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (0-0, 4.50) will make his first start at Nationals Park with Washington on Saturday. He has made two starts on the road since becoming the No. 5 starter in the rotation.
The Iowa native will face Arizona lefty Patrick Corbin (4-0, 1.89), one of the top pitchers in the league. Hellickson split last season between Baltimore and Philadelphia.
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