Oct 7, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) hits a 2-RBI home run during the eighth inning in game two of the 2017 NLDS against the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park. Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman each homered in a five-run eighth inning as the Washington Nationals stormed back to defeat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Saturday and even the series.
Harper hit a long two-run homer off Carl Edwards, Jr. with one out in the eighth to tie the game at 3. Adam Lind led off with a pinch-hit single and was replaced by pinch-runner Victor Robles, who scored when Harper launched a shot into the right-field stands.
Edwards then walked Anthony Rendon and the Cubs brought in Mike Montgomery, who gave up a single to Daniel Murphy with one out. Zimmerman (2-for-4) then lofted a three-run homer just over the fence in left to give Washington a 6-3 lead.
Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for the Nationals to get his first postseason save.
Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 5
LOS ANGELES — Logan Forsythe, getting the start at second base over Chase Utley for the second night in a row, had three hits, scored two runs, drove in one and stole a base as Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead on Arizona in their NLDS.
Austin Barnes, getting a start in place of regular catcher Yasmani Grandal, had two hits, scored two runs, drove in two and stole a base. His two-run double was the key hit in a four-run fifth inning that turned a 3-2 edge into a 7-2 cushion.
Barnes’ hit came in handy because of a three-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning by Arizona’s Brandon Drury that silenced — at least momentarily — a blue towel-waving sellout crowd. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen entered the game with one on and one out in the eighth inning, and retired all five hitters he faced to finish it off.
