Rookie lefty Lodolo strong, but Reds fall to Nationals

WASHINGTON — Major league losses leader Patrick Corbin ended Washington’s record 43-game drought without a starting pitcher earning a victory as the Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 Sunday.

Corbin (5-17) allowed one earned run and four hits in six innings while striking out five. A Washington starting pitcher had not earned a victory since Josiah Gray won at Philadelphia on July 6, shattering the previous big league record of 35 games set by the 1949 Washington Senators.

“Everyone knows that record here that was broken today, but it’s not something that I’m proud of,” Corbin said. “We’ve been pitching good as a staff and a lot of guys have been going out there and giving us a chance to win games.”

Stuart Fairchild homered for Cincinnati, which has dropped 13 of its last 17 but was trying for a weekend sweep.

Ildemaro Vargas led off the fifth with a liner against Nick Lodolo (3-5) to left for his third homer in nine games, breaking a 2-all tie. Lodolo yielded three runs and struck out five over seven innings, which tied the longest outing of the rookie’s career.

Lodolo is 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 10 starts since returning from the injured list July 5.

“He continues to pitch to really well,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said. “He really couldn’t be doing much better than he is right now.”

The Reds took an early lead on Kyle Farmer’s RBI grounder in the first and Fairchild’s solo homer in the second. Washington tied it in the fourth with Nelson Cruz’s bases-loaded walk and Riley Adams’ RBI single.

Cincinnati second baseman Jonathan India had two singles to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: OF Nick Senzel (left hamstring tightness) was out of the lineup for the third consecutive day. Bell said the team would likely have to make a decision about placing Senzel on the injured list by Monday. … RHP Hunter Greene (shoulder) will begin a rehabilitation assignment Thursday. Bell said the team hopes Greene can return to the rotation Sept. 11 or 12.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Chase Anderson makes his Cincinnati debut Monday at home in the opener of a three-game series against St. Louis. Anderson hasn’t pitched in the majors since Aug. 4, 2021, when he was with Philadelphia.

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