Pederson too much for Sánchez in 5-0 Nats loss

LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Aníbal Sánchez had trouble finding a way to get Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson out.

Pederson's two monster home runs were the big hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 5-0 win over the Nationals on Friday night. Sánchez could not finish five innings and fell to 0-6. The series is now even at one game apiece.

David Freese added a two-run homer in the seventh off of Matt Grace.

After the Nats opened with a 6-0 shutout Thursday night, the Dodgers returned the favor Friday night.

Sánchez was unable to generate quick outs and struggled through 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits, two walks (one intentional), one balk and three strikeouts. He finished with 89 pitches, 57 for strikes.

This game got off to a rough start for Sánchez as Pederson hit the first of his two homers as he led off in the bottom of the first. The Nats starter had to throw 29 pitches to get three outs.

"I'm totally disappointed," Sánchez said. "I'm working to go deeper in the game, and unfortunately I don't know what's going on. I think every pitch that I throw, my pitch count goes high so quick, and even when we try to attack the hitters.

"But I'm ready to tear down everything and keep working. Baseball is like that. Some days you can come and throw really good stuff, and other days it's not what you want. I need to continue to work and, hopefully, just get some good games for the team."

Sánchez was able to settle down a bit in the second and third. But then the Dodgers got going again in the fourth and fifth to score two more runs on three hits. Not being able to finish five innings really hurt Sánchez, and it put the club in a bind, manager Davey Martinez said.

"He's a veteran guy, understands the game, knows how to pitch," Martinez said. "I think later in the game he's got to make his pitches. He knows that."

Sánchez has pitched for some time in the big leagues and has faced stretches before when he could not string together many scoreless innings. He said he knows what he must do to try to get back on track.

"Yeah, definitely," Sánchez said. "It's many years on this level. I fought through everything, and I need to continue to work. At some point, everything is going to change for good. So as long as I continue healthy, I think I can do something good on the mound."

Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda (4-2) was bewildering to the Nationals, allowing one hit over six shutout innings. Maeda threw for two walks and six strikeouts.

Wilmer Difo leading off in the third, got the only hit against Maeda. The right-hander promptly recorded three outs to finish the frame. Anthony Rendon went 0-for-3 with a strikeout against Maeda.

"He had some good off-speed stuff going," said Nats catcher Kurt Suzuki. "He was really kind of nibbling with his fastball and really putting those off-speed pitches in some good spots. He knows what he's doing out there. He has a game plan. A lot of strike-to-ball stuff. He kept us off balance and pitched well."

Grace allowed a two-run shot, but the rest of the bullpen did well. Justin Miller managed to get the final two outs in the fifth, despite allowing a first-batter walk. Joe Ross pitched a scoreless sixth with two strikeouts, thanks to an unhittable sinker. Erick Fedde walked a batter but also put together a shutout inning in the eighth.

In the top of the eighth, the Nats put together their best scoring opportunity. They loaded the bases with two outs, thanks to singles by Brian Dozier and Difo and a hit-by-pitch for Victor Robles off of Dodgers reliever Julio Urías.

Rendon's hot-shot grounder was nabbed by third baseman Max Muncy, who then dove and tag third base before Difo could slide in. That ended the best threat of the night for the Nats.

Urías ended up throwing three shutout innings for the save, his second. The Nats managed four hits on the night and have now lost nine of their last 12 games. Gerardo Parra went 0-for-3 with a walk in his Nats debut.