Parker wins major league debut and García hits 3-run homer as Nationals beat Dodgers 6-4
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mitchell Parker won his major league debut and Luis García Jr. hit a three-run homer, his first of the season, as the Washington Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Monday night.
García went opposite field with two outs in the fifth inning against Tyler Glasnow (3-1), who issued a two-out walk to Joey Gallo one batter before. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Glasnow wasn’t feeling well.
The Dodgers celebrated the 77th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier during an afternoon ceremony involving both teams at his statue in Centerfield Plaza. Every player around the majors wore Robinson’s retired No. 42 and fittingly, the Dodger Stadium attendance was 42,677.
Parker (1-0) became the first Nationals pitcher to win his big league debut since Stephen Strasburg in 2010.
“Speechless,” Parker said. “That’s awesome.”
He allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked none after getting called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Rochester.
“After we got the first inning out of the way, it kind of started to become normal,” Parker said. “I kept telling myself all day it’s the same game I’ve been playing all my life, so try not to overthink any of it.”
Parker struck out 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts to start the game. He then retired Betts, struck out two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani and got 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman to ground out in order in the third.
“Imagining it and actually living through it are two very different things,” Mitchell said. “It was a special experience.”
Mitchell was promoted to replace injured Josiah Gray in the rotation, and his parents flew cross-country to cheer him on.
“The kid has got good stuff,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “The kid has a very low heartbeat. Nothing seems to faze him. That’s a tough team to face and he did really, really well.”
Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth to earn his sixth save.
Ohtani scored twice. He singled and scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly in the first. Ohtani reached on interference by catcher Riley Adams in the sixth, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch by reliever Matt Barnes and scored on Smith’s RBI groundout.
Ohtani represented the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh. Pinch-hitter James Outman singled and Betts had a two-out single before Ohtani flied out to center field to end the threat.
Glasnow gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings, struck out five and walked two. The right-hander’s wild pitch led to Washington’s first run in the first. CJ Abrams doubled leading off and scored when a pitch to Gallo bounced off the plate at a crazy angle.
The Dodgers led 2-1 on Chris Taylor’s sacrifice fly in the second. It was Taylor’s first RBI of the season after he came in 1 for 32 with 17 strikeouts.
Abrams’ homer tied it 2-all and Gallo’s RBI double gave the Nationals the lead for good in the third.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Placed C Keibert Ruiz on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Friday, with the flu.
UP NEXT
Nationals: LHP Patrick Corbin (0-2, 8.44 ERA) goes for his first win of the season Tuesday.
Dodgers: LHP Ryan Yarbrough will pitch, but not necessarily start, in a bullpen game.
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