Michael Taylor had an impressive day at the plate and Jeremy Hellickson finished two outs shy of a quality start, but the Washington Nationals were unable to shake their bullpen woes as they fell 4-3 to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night.
Taylor finished a triple shy of the cycle, swiping two bases and hitting a solo shot in the fourth. The rest of the offense, however, managed just four hits and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
On the mound, Hellickson was nearly unhittable until the sixth inning. After allowing a pair of baserunners to reach in the first, the right-hander retired the next 14 hitters he faced before the heart of the Dodgers’ lineup got to him.