WASHINGTON -- Patrick Mullins scored four goals to lead D.C. United to a 4-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
Mullins, who was second for United (9-17-4) with eight goals last season, came into the game without a goal this season.
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Luciano Acosta sent an arcing cross-field pass to the corner of the box where Paul Arriola sent a perfect entry to a charging Mullins, who timed his run perfectly and tapped it in from point-blank range in the 57th minute.
About three minutes later, Mullins made it 2-0 when headed home a first-time cross from Arriola. Mullins, again, slipped behind the defense and put away a perfect feed from inside the 6-yard box. The 25-year old's second career hat trick came in the 68th, when he side-footed the rebound of Zoltan Stieber's free kick from about 40 yards out into a wide open net.
He then placed a side-netter past the out-stretched arm of a diving Andrew Tarbell to cap the scoring in the 88th.
San Jose (11-13-6) has been outscored 27-5 while losing seven of its last eight road games.