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WASHINGTON -- Leave it to little-used, light-hitting Jose Lobaton to change the complexion of the Washington Nationals NL Division Series with one big swing.Getting a rare chance to play because of starting catcher Wilson Ramos late-September injury, backup Lobaton hit a three-run homer through a strong wind to erase an early deficit Sunday. Daniel Murphy provided more-expected production with two RBI, and Washingtons bullpen threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the Nationals past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 in a rain-postponed Game 2 to even the series at 1-all.Ive got to try to do something for the team, said Lobaton, who had one hit off a left-handed pitcher all season before connecting with a curveball that stayed up from LA lefty Rich Hill with two outs in the fourth inning.And Im not saying that Im going to be like Willy and hit a homer and hit .300. Play hard every day, no matter who is in and who is not, he said.After dropping Game 1, the Nationals trailed 2-0 when Hill allowed No. 8 hitter Lobaton to put the hosts ahead for good.One bad pitch to a guy that I dont think anybody really thought was going to be that guy to hurt us, said Josh Reddick, who drove in a run for LA in the third off Tanner Roark after Corey Seager hit his second first-inning homer of the NLDS. But thats what happens, and anybody can be the guy in the postseason.Hard to imagine Lobaton would be The Guy, though.Didnt even start the playoff opener, sitting behind rookie Pedro Severino, who had played all of 18 games in the majors.Plus, Lobaton batted only .232 in 99 at-bats in 2016 overall, although his lone hit in 15 at-bats against left-handers coming into Sunday was also a homer, and also against the Dodgers -- off Scott Kazmir in July.This one put the Nationals ahead 3-2, finally getting to Hill -- who went 4 1/3 innings -- in the unlikeliest of ways. After a walk and two quick outs, he plunked Danny Espinosa for the second time; Washingtons shortstop has struck out in his other five NLDS plate appearances.That mistake proved costly when Lobaton came through, leading to chants of N-A-T-S! Nats, Nats, Nats, Woooo! from a sellout crowd of 43,826.What made this big bop all the more surprising was that it went over the wall in left, where wind that topped 30 mph was blowing in much of the afternoon.When he hit it, there was a bunch of people in the dugout who were, like, cussing, because we didnt think he could get it out. All kinds of expletives were being thrown around, Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth said. And then it snuck over for us. That was the game, right there.Nationals slugger Bryce Harpers take?If Mother Nature wanted to keep it in the yard, then I guess she would have, the 2015 NL MVP said, but the baseball gods overran her, I guess.Murphy has been Washingtons best hitter all season, considered a top contender for league MVP honors this year. Indeed, fans chanted those three letters after each hit as he went 3 for 3, including RBI singles in the fifth and seventh.Five relievers made it stand up, with Mark Melancon working around a single in the ninth -- the lone hit allowed by Washingtons relievers -- to earn the save.Blake Treinen went 1 1/3 innings and got the win, while lefties Marc Rzepczynski, Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez combined for seven outs as manager Dusty Baker mixed and matched his `pen just right.The old man knows what hes doing, I think, Werth said with a smile.And after the NL East champion Nationals wasted plenty of opportunities to score in a 4-3 loss on Friday, it was the NL West-winning Dodgers turn to come up short in the clutch: Los Angeles left the bases loaded three times.In the fifth, pinch hitter Howie Kendrick sent a sinking liner to left that Werth managed to grab while sliding -- then celebrated by popping up and throwing an uppercut.The wind pretty much had an effect on every ball that was hit out there, Werth said. That was ball was diving, knuckling, doing all kind of stuff. Part of why I was so excited was because I was surprised I caught it.The best-of-five series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Monday afternoon, with Game 4 there on Tuesday, creating an unusual three-consecutive-days setup in the playoffs, thanks to the loss of a travel day.This was pretty much a must-win game for us, Werth said. Definitely dont want to head West down two.MURPHY VS. LAPlaying for the New York Mets in 2015, Murphy hit two homers in the NLDS against the Dodgers, part of his record streak of six consecutive postseason games with a long ball. Ever since last year, Reddick said, he just seems to be the guy that comes up in the clutch.UP NEXTIn Game 3, the Dodgers will have RHP Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48 ERA) on the mound against Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-11, 4.57).Both pitchers were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles ahead of the rest of the teams players, so they could be in place, instead of waiting for Sundays game to end. The Nationals are hoping Gonzalez can take advantage of the Dodgers worst-in-the-majors batting average against left-handed pitchers. Maeda led LA pitchers in wins, innings (175 2/3), strikeouts (179) and starts (32). Cheap Jerseys USA . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. http://www.cheapwholesalejerseyschina.com/ . William Carrier opened the scoring for Cape Breton (6-4-2), but Andrew Ryan tied the game and Brent Andrews put the Mooseheads (8-6-0) in front for good with a short-handed goal at 13:49 of the second period. NFL Jerseys Discount . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Wholesale NFL Jerseys Authentic .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. PITTSBURGH -- Francisco Liriano doesnt believe hes lost his stuff so much as hes misplaced it. The search to find it over the last few weeks sent the veteran Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to the bullpen for lengthy sessions with pitching coach Ray Searage.Judging by the way he overpowered the Milwaukee Brewers for two occasionally brilliant hours on Thursday night, Liriano appears to be on the right path.His fastball dipping and darting like a bug trying to avoid a fly swatter, Liriano struck out a season-high 13 without issuing a walk over 6 2/3 innings as the Pirates edged the Brewers 5-3.Everything was around the plate, not way down and way up, Liriano said.Something thats been an issue most of the season. Liriano entered the game having allowed a major-league high 62 base on balls. The Brewers didnt work a free pass once as Liriano (6-9) generated some serious momentum in his bid to bounce back from a forgettable first half.The slider was electric, the changeup was disappearing, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. No walks (and) 13 punchouts. Really good stuff. Really good composure. Very good tempo.Following three effective seasons at the top of the Pittsburgh rotation, 2016 has been a challenge for the 32-year-old. Liriano went more than six weeks without a victory, a stretch that ended with a win in Oakland on July 3. He backed it up with better command in a loss to Washington last week, providing a glimpse that he was starting to figure things out.I thought he had great stuff tonight, he really did, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said of Liriano. Thats the best weve seen him in a while, for sure.Lirianos only mistake through the first six innings came on Jonathan Villars solo home run into the Milwaukee bullpen in the third. Liriano struck out the side in the sixth but was removed in the seventh following an RBI double by Perez and an RBI groundout by Scooter Gennett.Mark Melancon bounced back from consecutive blown saves to retire the side in order in the ninth for his 28th save.IN A PINCHMatt Joyce smacked a three-run homer in the first inning off Matt Garza (1-4) and later added an RBI groundout. Not bad for a player who didnt know he was playing until outfielder Starling Marte came down with flu-like symptoms a half-hour before the first pitch.Hes kind of like a fiireman, hes ready to go, Hurdle said.ddddddddddddJoyce did his best to cram for Garza -- a former teammate when both played in Tampa Bay -- but felt a bit rushed heading into the on-deck circle with two on and one out in the first. He took a couple of extra deep breaths to calm down and smacked a pitch from Garza into the seats in right field to put the Pirates up 3-0.When they ring the bell, youve got to go, Joyce said.Gregory Polanco finished with two hits for the Pirates. Andrew McCutchen went 2 for 3 to snap out of a 1-for-16 funk.BREW CREWVillar hit his seventh home run of the season. Hernan Perez added two hits for Milwaukee, which fell to 17-31 away from Miller Park, the second-worst road mark in the National League. Garza dropped his fourth straight decision, allowing five runs, four earned, in five innings with two walks and three strikeouts.I can go deep, I like to keep pitching, Garza said. You put your team in a hole and you cant do that. You just keep going and keep believing. Its there. Ive seen it. I saw it and felt it today. Its a good step. I know what Ive got to do.TRAINERS ROOMBrewers: Pitching prospect Adrian Houser underwent Tommy John surgery on his right arm Thursday and will miss at least the next 12 months. The 23-year-old appeared in two games last September for the Brewers and was 3-7 with a 5.25 ERA in 13 starts for Double-A Biloxi this season.Pirates: Reliever Ryan Vogelsong voluntarily removed himself from a rehab start with Triple-A Indianapolis after four innings of work on Wednesday night due to neck tightness. Vogelsong, who turns 39 on Friday, is recovering from facial fractures after getting hit by a pitch against Colorado on May 23.UP NEXT:Brewers: Open a 10-game homestand on Friday with a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs. Jimmy Nelson (6-7, 3.39 ERA) is coming off his first win in over a month after tossing seven shutout innings against Cincinnati last Saturday.Pirates: Gerrit Cole (5-5, 3.11 ERA) will make his second start since returning from a stint on the DL with a right triceps strain. He will face Philadelphia on Friday. Cole allowed five runs in four innings in a loss to Washington last Saturday. ' ' '