Nationals beat Seattle 6-1 for Mariners’ 3rd loss in row

WASHINGTON — Luis García Jr. hit a three-run homer, MacKenzie Gore pitched a season-high seven innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1 on Friday night.

Keibert Ruiz added a two-run homer and a single, and Eddie Rosario hit a solo shot for the Nationals, who had lost seven of eight.

Gore (3-4) allowed one run and four hits, struck out eight and walked one, throwing 98 pitches.

J.P. Crawford homered leading off a game for the 10th time in his big league career and singled for the Mariners, who tied their longest losing streak this season at three.

Seattle was held to one run for the third time in five games and was limited to five hits or fewer for the 13th time in 52 games this season. The Mariners struck out 10 times, their 34th time in double digits, and lead the major leagues with 529.

George Kirby (4-5) gave up five runs and six hits in six innings, walking his sixth batter in 62 1/3 innings this season.

Kirby retired his first nine batters on 24 pitches before CJ Abrams singled leading off the fourth. With one out, Joey Meneses singled and García hit a first-pitch slider into the visitors’ bullpen in left center for a 3-1.

Nationals third baseman Nick Senzel helped a diving stop on Dylan Moore’s sixth-inning smash with a runner on first and no outs and got a forceout at second.

Jess Winker walked against Kirby with two outs in the sixth and Ruiz homered for a 5-1 lead. Rosario connected in the eighth.

Seattle recalled outfielder Jonatan Clase from Triple-A Tacoma and optioned infielder Luis Urias to the Rainiers. Urias is batting .152 in 34 games with the Mariners this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: OF Lane Thomas (left MCL sprain) was the DH for Double-A Harrisburg in the fourth game of his minor league rehab assignment. … OF James Wood, Washington’s top prospect, was removed from Triple-A Rochester’s game Thursday night in the fifth inning with right hamstring tightness. … RHP Josiah Gray (right elbow/forearm flexor strain) will throw a bullpen session on Saturday at Nationals Park.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (3-2, 3.20 ERA) opposes RHP Trevor Williams (4-0, 2.35) in the middle game of the series on Saturday.

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NATIONALS 6, MARINERS 1

T—2:07. A—23,789 (41,376).