WASHINGTON (AP) — Jacob Young hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, Lane Thomas bolstered his trade stock with a run-scoring double and the Washington Nationals rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Saturday night.
Derek Law (6-2) pitched two scoreless innings on an outstanding night for the Nationals’ bullpen after MacKenzie Gore’s shortest start of the season. Washington has taken two straight from Cincinnati, damaging the Reds’ hopes of remaining relevant in the NL playoff race.
Ildemaro Vargas doubled leading off the eighth against Justin Wilson (1-2). With two outs, Young lined Wilson’s first pitch through the left side to score Vargas from third.
In the seventh, Thomas fought off a low-and-away fastball from Fernando Cruz and lined it to right to drive in Young and tie the game at 4-all. Young finished 2-for-3 with two stolen bases.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said a day earlier that he would listen to trade offers for Thomas, a solid defensive outfielder who had a breakout 2023 season with 28 homers.
All-Star Kyle Finnegan, another potential trade target, worked the ninth for his 27th save in 31 chances.
Tyler Stephenson homered for the fifth time in eight games, a 426-foot shot to the left-center bleachers in the third that put Cincinnati ahead 4-2. By then, the Reds had already knocked Gore out of the game.
Gore began by throwing seven straight balls. He needed 19 pitches to get one out, 40 to get two and 48 to retire the side. The Reds scored twice on three walks, a single and a sacrifice fly.
After throwing 19 more pitches in the second inning and giving up Elly De La Cruz’s go-ahead RBI double, Gore was gone, replaced by Jordan Weems to start the third. Gore’s totals in his shortest outing of the season: three runs, two hits, four walks, 37 strikes and 30 balls.
Nick Lodolo had a workmanlike start for Cincinnati, working into the seventh inning and departing with a 4-3 lead.
Harold Ramírez hit a 429-foot homer to the bleachers in left-center in the bottom of the first to make it 2-all.
Washington’s Juan Yepez extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games with a third-inning single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: OF TJ Friedl (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with the goal of returning for the series at Tampa Bay that starts Friday. … INF Matt McLain (left shoulder surgery) will join the team Monday at Atlanta and the team is eyeing Aug. 12 for the start of his rehab assignment.
Nationals: RHP Cade Cavalli (Tommy John surgery) felt a dead arm after his last minor league rehab start on June 21 and then got the flu. He hasn’t pitched since but is expected to begin throwing on flat ground soon.
UP NEXT
Washington seeks a three-game sweep on Sunday with right-hander Jake Irvin (7-8, 3.49 ERA) opposing Reds lefty Andrew Abbott (9-6, 3.39).
