Left-hander Easton Lucas pitched five scoreless innings in his first career major-league start as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Washington Nationals 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon.
George Springer had a solo home run and Myles Straw had three hits for the Blue Jays, who swept the three-game series over the Nationals and won their fourth straight overall.
CJ Abrams homered for the Nationals.
Lucas (1-0), making his 15th major-league appearance, allowed one hit and two walks with three strikeouts.
Washington left-hander MacKenzie Gore (0-1), who allowed one hit and no runs in six innings on Opening Day, allowed three runs, nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five innings on Wednesday.
Toronto started the scoring with a first-inning run as Anthony Santander doubled to left on a two-out, hanging curve and slid home on Andres Gimenez’s single to right.
Gore escaped a shaky second, which began with a leadoff walk to Ernie Clement and a bunt single by Tyler Heineman. Straw then sent a blast to center field that was dropped at the wall by Dylan Crews.
Fortunately for the Nationals, Clement was called out at home on the relay throw by second baseman Amed Rosario in a close play, which was held up on video review.
Springer homered to left on a limp changeup to lead off the home fourth, pushing the Blue Jays’ lead to 2-0.
Toronto added to the lead in the fifth as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off with a double to right. Santander grounded an infield single to shortstop and Springer walked with one out to load the bases. Clement followed with a sacrifice fly to the wall in right that scored Guerrero.
Abrams began the sixth against Brendon Little with a homer to right, his second of the series and the season.
Straw doubled to right in the bottom of the sixth and advanced to third on a groundout. He then slid home safely as Abrams threw wildly to the plate on Guerrero’s grounder to short.
Jeff Hoffman picked up his third save despite allowing a run as James Wood scored on a Nathaniel Lowe double.
