WASHINGTON – Derek Lowe pitched seven scoreless innings, reached base three times and scored once as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the Washington Nationals for the second straight game, 5-0 Wednesday night.

Los Angeles opened the three-game series Tuesday with a 10-0 victory. Lowe combined with relievers Joe Beimel and Rudy Seanez on a four-hitter.

Lowe (5-5) had little trouble in his seven-inning stint. He gave up three hits, struck out five and walked two while allowing only one batter past first base.

Beimel worked the eighth and Seanez pitched the ninth.

Lowe, who began the day batting .105, helped himself by reaching base in all three plate appearances.

Lowe singled to center in the third inning but was stranded at first. He drew walks the next two times up, and both helped the Dodgers score.

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Luis Gonzalez led off with a double and moved up when Russell Martin grounded out. Andre Ethier lined an RBI double and after Lowe walked, Rafael Furcal singled home a run.

Martin hit a two-run homer in the sixth for a 4-0 lead. The Dodgers got a break when Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman misplayed Jeff Kent’s one-out grounder, and Martin’s two-out homer gave Los Angeles a pair of unearned runs.

Lowe got a one-out walk in the fifth against reliever Ray King and later scored on Nomar Garciaparra’s infield single for a 5-0 lead.

The Nationals’ recent offensive problems continued as they didn’t even threaten. They last scored a run in the eighth inning of Sunday’s loss in St. Louis.

This was the first time the Nationals have been shut out in consecutive games since May 16-17, 2006, against the Chicago Cubs.

Notes: Furcal now has a 15-game hitting streak, tying his career best. … Los Angeles improved to a season-best 10 games over .500. … The Nationals now are just 7-18 against teams outside the NL East. They are 14-14 against those East teams.

AP-ES-05-30-07 2141EDT