LA Dodgers get to Nationals pitcher Taer Roark third time through the lineup

LOS ANGELES >> It was a breeze the first two times Taer Roark worked through the Dodgers’ lineup.

The Washington Nationals right-hander retired 15 of the first 18 batters he faced. Nobody walked. Three got hits, but only Joc Pederson did so by advancing past first base.

Of course, there was the third time through the order.

Adrian Gonzalez, who struck out and grounded out in his first two at-bats, doubled in the seventh iing when he lined a 94 mph fastball down the first-base line.

Then the Dodgers really jumped on Roark. To start the eighth iing, Pederson drew a walk, and Yasiel Puig, appearing in his first game since June 2, singled with no outs.

Yasmani Grandal followed by smoking a fastball 418 feet to center field, a 109-mph line drive that brought the aounced crowd of 42,307 to its collective feet at Dodger Stadium.

Grandal’s three-run home run put the Dodgers ahead for good in a 3-2 victory over the Nationals, extending their wiing streak to a season-best five games.

“It’s those one-run ballgames,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We play a lot of one-run ballgames. Now we’re finding a way to win them.”

Before Grandal stepped to the plate, FanGraphs gave them a 33.7 percent chance of wiing. After his homer, they had an 87.9 percent chance.

The Dodgers improved to 40-33 overall and kept pace with San Francisco in the National League West. The Giants routed the Pirates 15-4 Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.

One outing removed from throwing an inefficient 93 pitches to get through four iings, Scott Kazmir produced a quality start.

Kazmir held the Nationals to two runs and made it through six iings while throwing just four more pitches than he did the last time out.

But it was a far less conventional quality start for Kazmir. Of the eight hits he allowed, two were home runs and four were doubles. He became the first Dodgers pitcher to allow so many extra-base hits with so few runs since 1940.

Bryce Harper pounded Kazmir’s 92 mph fastball 378 feet to left field to put the Nationals ahead 1-0 in the first iing.

Day Espinosa hit one in the fifth iing, a leadoff blast that also carried into the bleachers in left. It was the 14th home run that Kazmir has allowed this season, sixth-most in the NL.

Yet, as much as it looked like the game might get away from them, the Dodgers kept the Nationals from stretching their lead.

Kazmir gave up a double to his counterpart, Taer Roark, in the next at-bat after facing Espinosa.

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Second baseman Chase Utley helped him out when he fielded a ground ball by Ben Revere and threw to third base, where Justin Tuer made a tag on a diving Roark to get him out and keep a ruer out of scoring position.

Facing Ryan Zimmerman, Kazmir struck out the side to end the fifth. He struck out four and walked two.

Closer Kenley Jansen, who surpassed Eric Gagne on the club’s all-time saves list on Monday, eaed anther one with a 12-pitch ninth iing.