Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jonathan Rodriguez scored two goals and the Portland Timbers jumped out to an early lead with a 4-1 win over Nashville on Sunday night.
Felipe Mora and Erik Williamson also scored for the Timbers (9-8-6), who led 4-0 at halftime as temperatures in Portland rose into the 90s.
Mora scored his 10th goal of the season in the 18th minute, before Rodriguez scored two more in the 21st and 24th minutes.
Williamson added a fourth in the 29th minute on a pass from Santi Moreno, prompting Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis to yell at his team to tighten up defensively.
Nashville's Bryan Anunga received a red card in the 35th minute for a dangerous tackle on David Ayala, and Nashville played the rest of the game with one man less.
Nashville opened the scoring in the 82nd minute with a goal from Sam Surridge, his team-high eighth goal of the season.
Evander, who has 10 goals for Portland, was also suspended for accumulating yellow cards, and Portland manager Phil Neville was also unable to play due to a yellow card.
Nashville (6-8-8-8) had been playing under interim manager Lumumba Muntari after Gary Smith was fired in May. U.S. national team assistant BJ Callahan was named Nashville's new manager earlier this week, but he won't make his debut with the team until a League Cup match against Mazatlan on July 31.
It was Nashville's third straight loss.
Rodriguez now has 11 goals, joining Evander and Mora in double figures, and is the first time in Timbers history that three players have scored 10 or more goals in a season.
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