WASHINGTON (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit two-run doubles in the first and second innings and Andy Pages added a three-run homer in the fifth to help the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 10-5 rout of the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Pages went 3 for 5 to raise his average to .500 (15 for 30) on the young season. The Dodgers have scored 23 runs on 32 hits in the first two games of this series despite losing Mookie Betts in the first inning Saturday because of lower back pain.
Tyler Glasnow (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out nine with two walks.
Jake Irvin (1-1) allowed six runs and eight hits in four innings.
CJ Abrams homered for the Nationals.
Miguel Rojas, who replaced Betts at shortstop before the bottom of the first, hit a sacrifice fly in the second to make it 3-0. Then Freeman hit his second double of the game.
The Dodgers used the Automated Ball-Strike System to score another run in the third. Alex Call successfully challenged a called third strike with two outs, then hit an RBI single.
Luis García Jr. got Washington on the board with an RBI triple in the third, and Curtis Mead doubled home a run in the fourth, but Pages connected off reliever Brad Lord to make it 9-2.
Kyle Tucker hit an RBI single in the seventh for the final Los Angeles run.
Will Smith had three hits for the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani had two.
Garcia finished a homer shy of the cycle for Washington, and Abrams hit a two-run shot in the eighth.
The Dodgers try for a sweep Sunday, sending Roki Sasaki (0-0) to the mound against Foster Griffin (1-0).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani stands on deck during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits a single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid, who will not play the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, said Friday night he was angry at Philadelphia 76ers management for not allowing him to play in Washington on Wednesday.
He was out for Saturday’s game with “right oblique; injury management; (and) illness.” He has not played in both games of a back to back all season.
Embiid was ruled out Wednesday due to an illness. He replied to a reporter’s post on social media that listed him as out by saying that he planned to play. He later posted, “I guess they won’t let me play basketball.”
After a 115-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Embiid expressed his displeasure with Daryl Morey, the 76ers president of basketball operations.
“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball,” Embiid said. “I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this is more of a question of Daryl Morey or whoever makes the decisions.”
Embiid scored 26 points in 34 minutes in a 76ers loss Monday in Miami. He was not listed on the injury report but told reporters that he was ill. “Physically, I just was not in it."
He said he had a short night’s sleep before Wednesday’s 153-131 win over the Wizards and wasn't at a morning film session, after which he was ruled out.
“I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night,” Embiid said. “That kind of caught me off guard.”
Embiid was listed as doubtful on Thursday’s injury report for Minnesota, but played 34 minutes, totaling 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he wasn’t concerned with the situation, praising Embiid for his play Friday.
“We handle it by keeping things basketball-related,” Nurse said Saturday before facing the Pistons. “He was at shootaround yesterday; he was excellent in the game yesterday, was really a great teammate and focused and all that stuff yesterday. So we just try to keep it all basketball-focused.”
Embiid has played 37 games this season, sidelined primarily by injury management in his knees. He’s averaged 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
The 32-year-old center missed 13 games after straining his right oblique on Feb. 26 against Miami.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, left, and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, center, talk with Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, right, after an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
