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July 31 (UPI) -- Infielders Carter Kieboom and Starlin Castro powered the Washington Nationals at the plate to lead the reigning World Series champions to a 6-4 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in Washington, D.C. Kieboom and Castro each reached base four times in the victory Thursday at Nationals Park. Kieboom went 2 for 2 with two runs scored and two walks. Castro went 4 for 5 with two runs scored in the win.
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Teoscar Hernandez hit two home runs for the Blue Jays. The victory helped the Nationals tie the four-game series 2-2.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit an RBI single in the first inning to give the Blue Jays an early edge. Kurt Suzuki answered with a two-run double for the Nationals in the top of the third inning. Michael Taylor increased the Nationals' lead to 4-1 with a two-run homer in the fourth frame.
Hernandez then hit his first home run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Asdrubal Cabrera then plated Castro with an RBI double in the top of the next inning to push the Nationals' lead back to three runs.
Cavan Biggio answered with a solo homer for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kieboom then scored for a second time on a Trea Turner sacrifice fly in the top of the next inning. Hernandez hit another solo home run in the bottom of the eighth frame for the final run of the game.
Nationals starting pitcher Erick Fedde allowed six hits and two runs in 3 1/3 innings, but did not earn a decision. Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu allowed nine hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings to take his first loss of the season.
Hernandez was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the loss. Gurriel was 2 for 3 with an RBI for the Blue Jays.
The Nationals were scheduled to face the Miami Marlins this weekend in Miami, but that series has been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak within the Marlins' roster. The Blue Jays also had their weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies postponed after two Phillies staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
