Gabriel Moreno hits 2-run homer, Diamondbacks avoid sweep with 5-1 win over Nationals

PHOENIX (AP) — Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run homer, Michael Soroka threw seven effective innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided a series sweep with a 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

>The Diamondbacks' bats came to life after losing the series’ first two games by a combined score of 20-2.

>Corbin Carroll hit a solo homer in the first inning off Cade Cavalli (3-4) and Moreno added his two-run shot off the right-hander in the fifth.

>Pavin Smith hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to put Arizona up 5-1.

>Soroka (8-3) gave up a leadoff homer to CJ Abrams in the second inning and two other hits. He struck out six and walked two.

>It was Soroka's first start of at least seven innings and one or fewer runs allowed since Aug. 10, 2019.

>Washington finished with three hits after bashing the Diamondbacks for 24 the previous two games combined.

>The Diamondbacks were held to two hits in Saturday's 6-1 loss, but had more than that by the second inning against Cavalli.

>Carroll hit an 0-2 breaking ball onto the pool deck in right-center in the first inning, and Ryan Waldschmidt put Arizona up 2-1 with an RBI groundout in the fourth.

>Moreno made it 4-0 in the fifth with his fourth homer, a two-run shot off the back of Arizona's bullpen in left.

>Cavalli allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings with two strikeouts and a walk.

Up nextNationals RHP Miles Mikolas (1-5, 6.39 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-game series at San Francisco on Monday.

>The Diamondbacks have a day off before RHP Zac Gallen (3-5, 5.32) pitches against Miami on Tuesday to open a three-game series.

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>AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb