Brewers' Michael Blazek gives up five home runs in third inning, six total, vs. Nationals

WASHINGTON - Michael Blazek started in place of injured Matt Garza for the Brewers on Thursday and it didn’t take long for things to go horribly wrong.

Blazek surrendered five home runs in the third inning, allowing Washington to tie a major-league record, and gave up six in all before departing with one out in that frame.

The Nationals were leading, 2-0, on Bryce Harper’s first-inning home run when the first four hitters knocked pitches out of the park, establishing a franchise record that went back to the days of the Montreal Expos. Brian Goodwin, Wilmer Difo, Harper again and Ryan Zimmerman all circled the bases.

After Blazek retired Daniel Murphy on a fly to center, Anthony Rendon ripped the Nationals’ fifth homer of the inning to make it 7-0. Manager Craig Counsell then removed Blazek, who was making his first major-league start.

The Nationals became the first major-league club to hit five home runs in an inning since the Minnesota Twins in 1966.

Blazek became the first starting pitcher in big-league history to surrender six home runs in less than three innings.

Wily Peralta took over for Blazek and allowed two more runs as the Nationals scored seven in one inning for the second consecutive game. They scored seven in the eighth inning Wednesday night to erase a 2-1 Brewers lead and go on to win, 8-5. 

By the end of the fourth Thursday the Brewers were down, 15-1.