KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) — Lane Thomas opened the game with a home run, Corey Dickerson's three-run shot highlighted an eight-run sixth inning and Luis Garcia had six hits as the Washington Nationals outslugged the Kansas City Royals 12-10 on Friday night.
The eight-run inning was the largest scoring inning in Nationals' history and came against Kansas City's Jordan Lyles and Josh Staumont. Lyles (0-9) allowed five earned runs in five innings, giving up six hits and three walks with two strikeouts.
“There was a lot of back-and-forth, up-and-down or whatever terminology you want to use,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Being down 9-2 certainly didn’t feel good, but the guys came back and we felt like we have a shot.”
The 34-year-old Dickerson, in his 11th big league season, has eight hits and has two homers and seven RBIs since being called up on May 17.
Washington (22-29) led 9-2 when its half of the sixth was over, helped by RBIs from Garcia (two RBIs) and Joey Meneses off of Staumont, who gave up four earned runs in one-third of an inning.
“It feels great, especially when the team is battling every at-bat and we never got down and stayed focused so it’s a great feeling,” Garcia said. “My whole approach every at-bat is to stay up the middle and go the other way as well.”
The Royals (15-37) scored the next six runs, highlighted by a Bobby Witt Jr.'s three-run homer off Erasmo Ramirez in the seventh, cutting the lead to 9-8. Witt also homered in the sixth inning for his second career multi-homer game and a career-high with five RBIs.
“He's got all the tools, couple infield hits, the double down the line and two homers,” Quatraro said. “Big night for him all around, very happy for him.”
Jeimer Candelario added a two-RBI triple and later scored in the eighth to extend the Nationals lead to 12-8.
Patrick Corbin (4-5) worked 6 1/3 inning, allowing six runs, seven hits, four walks with six strikeouts.
“I would've like to have finished the seventh there, but that's the one thing looking back,” Corbin said. “I felt good and in games like this you always try to give your bullpen a break, but the guys that came in kept the lead and the offense tonight was amazing. To come away with a win like that is truly a team win.”
SEEING DOUBLE
Garcia hit two doubles in the sixth inning, marking the first time a Nationals' batter has had two hits in an inning. That was part of his career-high six hit performance. He is just the third Washington player to have that many hits in a game.
ROSTER MOVES
The Royals called up OF Drew Waters and optioned INF/OF Nate Eaton to Triple-A Omaha.
UP NEXT
Washington sends RHP Josiah Gray (4-5) to the mound against Royals RHP Brady Singer (3-4) on Saturday afternoon.
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