Guzman hits for cycle, Dukes homers twice for Nats

[August 29, 2008]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cristian Guzman hit for the cycle and Elijah Dukes had two home runs, helping the Washington Nationals to an 11-2 romp over the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

Guzman finished the cycle with an RBI triple in the eighth inning off reliever Joe Beimel. He's the second Washington player to hit for the cycle after Brad Wilkerson did it on April 6, 2005. It was also the eighth cycle in franchise history, including the team's days in Montreal.

Guzman hit a solo homer to start a five-run first inning for Washington. The Nationals' shortstop singled and was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double in the second inning, and had a run-scoring double in the sixth.

Dukes hit a three-run homer to cap the Nationals' big first inning. He added a solo shot in the seventh for his first career multihomer game in just his second appearance after coming off the disabled list. Dukes had missed 19 games with a calf injury.

The Dodgers have now lost seven straight, and their nine consecutive road losses are the most since dropping 11 in a row in June 1992.

The Nationals earned their first series sweep of Los Angeles since long before the move to Washington -- the last came on the Montreal Expos' homestand from Aug. 4-6, 1998.

John Lannan (8-12) gave up a two-run homer to Manny Ramirez in the first inning but did not allow another run. Lannan lasted six innings, and gave up four hits and three walks.

Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw (2-5) allowed five runs and five hits and issued three walks in 2 1-3 innings, the big damage coming in a span of five at-bats in the first inning.

Guzman's homer started the scoring and Dukes capped it with his first home run of the game. In between, Ronnie Belliard also contributed a run-scoring single.

Willie Harris extended the Nationals' lead to 7-2 with a two-run single in the fifth. Ryan Zimmerman added a double to score Guzman after his eighth-inning triple.

Los Angeles manager Joe Torre made a lineup change trying to reverse his team's fortunes, moving Ramirez up a spot to No. 3 and dropping Jeff Kent to cleanup. It appeared to work in the first when Ramirez hit a two-run shot into the Dodgers' bullpen in left field.

That was the only show of life from the Dodgers offense, which is averaging fewer than two runs a game during their losing streak.

Notes: Before the game, the Dodgers reinstated RHP Cory Wade from the 15-day disabled list and designated RHP Tanyon Sturtze for assignment. Wade gave up one hit -- Dukes' second homer -- in an inning of work. ... Washington RHP Shawn Hill, on the DL since June 25 (right forearm) will not pitch again this season after experiencing swelling in his right elbow during rehabilitation. ... Torre gave SS Nomar Garciaparra and C Russell Martin the day off.

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN HAWKINS]

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