Dodgers too much for Lopez in his debut

The Dodgers rudely welcomed rookie Reynaldo Lopez to the big leagues with a 8-4 defeat of the Nationals on Tuesday in the series opener at Nats Park.

The Dodgers connected off of Lopez with four hits in the first inning. Chase Utley started the scoring with a solo shot over the right-center field wall.

Howie Kendrick followed with a single and Justin Turner hit a double to put men on second and third. The Dodgers were able to connect on Lopez's 96-98 mph fastball.

Adrian Gonzalez lined sharply to the jumping Danny Espinosa over second base. Lopez (0-1) then got Yasmani Grandal on a spectacular knee-buckling 80 mph curveball for the strikeout looking and the second out.

But Joc Pederson then delivered a clutch two-run single to right-center and the Dodgers extended their lead to 3-0.

The Dodgers continued to hit Lopez hard in the second frame with three more base hits. Chris Taylor doubled and was sacrificed to third. Utley singled to right field to make it 4-0, his second hit and second RBI of the game.

The Dodgers had seven hits in first two innings against Lopez.

But then Lopez got going. In the next two innings, he induced back swings from his changeup and his curveball. Lopez recorded five strikeouts and went 1-2-3 in the third and fourth frames. His final strikeout to end the fourth was a changeup to get Utley, who had ripped him twice for a pair of big hits in his first two at-bats.

Lopez struck out six of his last eight batters faced in the middle of his start.

But the fifth was tough again on Lopez. After a walk, Turner and Gonzalez singled to make it 5-0. Lopez's night ended two strikeouts later when Yasiel Puig singled to plate another run and it was 6-0.

Lopez finished 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits, with one walk and nine strikeouts. He tossed 105 pitches, 65 for strikes.

Lopez's nine strikeouts were bested only by Stephen Strasburg (14) for rookies in his 2010 Nats debut.

Jose Lobaton smacked a solo shot, his third homer of the season, to begin the scoring for the Nats in fifth.

In the eighth, the Nats made the Dodgers sweat.

Lobaton walked and was singled to second by pinch-hitter Chris Heisey. After a wild pitch, Trea Turner hit his first-ever major league triple, a two-run three-bagger that cut the Dodgers lead to 7-3.

Daniel Murphy followed with a RBI double high of the right-center field wall and the Dodgers led 7-4. Murphy had two doubles for the Nats.

Utley finished with three hits, one solo shot and three RBIs.

The Dodgers have won six straight against the Nationals.