Davies earns 1st win in more than a year as NL West-leading Diamondbacks top Nationals 6-2

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zach Davies throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Zach Davies earned his first victory in more than a year, Corbin Carroll homered and the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Washington Nationals 6-2 on Wednesday night.

The surprising Diamondbacks have won eight of 10, share the National League lead in victories with Atlanta and hold a two-game advantage over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division.

Davies (1-1) had not earned a win since May 13, 2022, going 24 consecutive starts without one. But the 30-year-old right-hander was largely in control against the struggling Nationals, allowing only three runners to get into scoring position over 6 2/3 innings in his third outing since returning from a strained left oblique,

“I hope, obviously, to stay healthy for the rest of the year,” Davies said. “That’s always a No. 1 goal. But I want to feel like I’m contributing, too. I was out for seven or so weeks and you really miss baseball and miss competing, especially on a team like this that’s fun to be a part of.”

Davies struck out eight while allowing five hits and a walk. He closed his night with back-to-back strikeouts of Riley Adams and CJ Abrams. Austin Adams entered and got Alex Call to ground out and strand a runner at first.

Davies earned his third victory since joining the Diamondbacks before last season — two of them at Washington.

“It was a very good outing for him in a lot of different ways,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “He kept the lead and just looked strong throughout. … I’ve seen guys get on good runs like that after these types of outings.”

The Nationals have lost four in a row and seven of nine to fall to a season-high 11 games under .500.

“We have to start getting back to having better at-bats, going up there and extending at-bats and trying to beat the starter,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said.

Arizona’s first two hitters reached against Patrick Corbin (4-6) before Emmanuel Rivera knocked both in with a double. Rivera came around two batters later on Evan Longoria’s RBI double.

Despite getting 11 hits against Corbin, the Diamondbacks couldn’t muster anything else against the veteran left-hander. Corbin struck out four in six innings. A two-time All-Star with Arizona, Corbin fell to 0-3 with an 11.42 ERA against his former team since signing with Washington after the 2018 season.

Longoria knocked in another run in the seventh on a double off reliever Carl Edwards Jr. Carroll hit a two-run shot off Jordan Weems in the ninth to cap the first four-hit game of his career. The rookie star was 4 for 5 with his 11th homer, two RBIs and 18th stolen base.

Washington scored twice in the third on Luis Garcia’s RBI single and Jeimer Candelario’s double-play grounder.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (right groin tightness) was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game, but took early batting practice.

Nationals: Washington recalled RHP Cory Abbott and designated RHP Erasmo Ramirez for assignment. Ramirez was 2-3 with a 6.33 ERA in 23 games and took the loss Tuesday against Arizona. … RHP Andrés Machado cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Rochester. Machado was designated for assignment Tuesday.

FOREIGN DIGNITARY

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak participated in the pregame lineup card exchange as part of the Nationals’ UK-US friendship celebration. Sunak’s two-day trip to Washington also includes a meeting Thursday with President Biden at the White House.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (7-3, 2.80 ERA), who is 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA over his last seven starts, gets the nod in the finale of the three-game series.

Nationals: RHP Josiah Gray (4-5, 3.09) allowed three runs in five innings while taking a loss May 5 against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

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