The Washington Nationals squared up on Riley Smith's pitches, pounding the young Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher for eight runs on eight hits in three innings on their way to a 17-2 win at Chase Field in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.
It was the largest deficit in defeat of the season for the Diamondbacks, who'd lost by nine, 12-3, to the San Diego Padres last month. The game was so lopsided that outfielder David Peralta, a former pitcher in the minor leagues, came on in the top of ninth inning and allowed a three-run home run with a strikeout.