Nationals lose series opener to Dodgers, 8-4

Washington Nationals phenom Reynaldo Lopez was hit hard in his first MLB start, an 8-4 loss to the L.A. Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Lopez (0-1, 11.57 ERA, 2.36 WHIP) did strike out nine batters in his stint, but he lasted only four and two-thirds innings, getting shelled for six runs on 10 hits, throwing 105 pitches and not even getting out of the fifth.

Scott Kazmir (8-3, 4.30 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) limited the Nats (56-38) to a run on four hits in seven innings of work, striking out eight.

Daniel Murphy (.352/.390/.613, 18 HR, 68 RBI) was 2-for-4 with an RBI double for Washington, whose lead over the Miami Marlins in the NL East is down to four and a half games.