Bell's three-run homer lifts Nats to sweep of Blue Jays

WASHINGTON (AP) — Josh Bell hit a three-run homer off former teammate Brad Hand, and the Washington Nationals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-5 on Wednesday.

Juan Soto and Carter Kieboom also connected for Washington, which won back-to-back games for the first time since July 27-29. The Nationals had dropped 12 of 13 prior to the two-game interleague series.

Marcus Semien homered twice and Teoscar Hernández went deep for the fourth consecutive game for Toronto, which has lost five of six since reaching a season-high 11 games over .500 on Aug. 11. The Blue Jays completed interleague play with a 14-6 record, all against the NL East, but went 1-3 against the fourth-place Nationals.

Hand (5-7), who was acquired on July 29 as part of Washington’s sell-off at the trade deadline, entered with one on in the seventh and Toronto clinging to a 5-4 lead. After Soto walked, Bell hit a go-ahead drive to right. Two batters later, Kieboom tacked on a solo shot to left.

Bell, who hit .113 with two homers and five RBIs in 53 April at-bats, has raised his average to .241. It's his third career 20-homer season in his first year in Washington.

“Josh is quietly having a pretty good year,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “He has 20 home runs, 65 RBIs after the way he started. This guy has done a tremendous job for us.”

Toronto’s bullpen allowed 10 runs in eight innings during the two-game series. Hand is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in eight games since joining the Blue Jays.

“Most of the guys in the bullpen are kind of struggling right now,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “I trust Brad Hand to make an adjustment because he’s around and he’s been a closer before. He’s been good and bad, and of course today he was not good. That’s a fact. I trust him that he’ll make an adjustment and be better...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Bell-s-three-run-homer-lifts-Nats-to-sweep-of-16396535.php