After losing their first three series of 2024, the Washington Nationals traveled west to face the San Francisco Giants and win the first two games of this road series with an 8-1 victory on Monday and a 5-3 win on Tuesday, before losing 7-1 on Wednesday afternoon.
With two wins, the Nationals improve to 5-7 on the season and now sit right in the middle of the NL East, as Washington put up some strong performances in those two games on Monday and Tuesday night.
In the Nationals’ 8-1 blowout victory, the Giants put up the first run of the contest in the bottom of the first inning, but then Washington’s bats came alive as they went on to score eight unanswered runs. Both Trey Lipscomb and Lane Thomas had dominant performances and went 3-for-5 at the plate.
Along with those three hits, the rookie Lipscomb also had three stolen bases and an RBI, as he hit an RBI single and stole home plate in the top of the second, while Thomas finished with three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the top of the fifth. Thomas later singled to drive in Jacob Young in the ninth.
Ildemaro Vargas also had a solid performance in the game, finishing with two RBIs and a run, while also getting walked with the bases loaded in the ninth.
Nationals starter Trevor Williams got the win Monday night to improve to 2-0 on the year, as he went five full innings and finished with an ERA of 2.61, while the bullpen finished the job and prevented any more runs.
In Washington’s 5-3 win, C.J. Abrams went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and a home run, after missing three games with a bruised left pinkie. Abrams’ homer in the third inning was a two-run bomb that went 423 feet to right center and almost landed in McCovey Cove.
Along with Abrams, Young, Jesse Winker, and Riley Adams also finished with two hits each, while Lipscomb hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Winker in the top of the seventh.
Pitcher Joan Adon was called up by the Nats to take the previously injured Josiah Gray’s spot for the contest, as he went four full innings on 72 pitches, while Jordan Weems was credited with the win, and Kyle Finnegan recorded his fourth save of the season.
However, it wasn’t an easy save for Finnegan as he loaded the bases with zero outs in the bottom of the ninth, but on the next two at-bats, San Francisco’s Michael Conforto grounded into a fielder’s choice to Finnegan, as he threw Jung Hoo Lee out at home, while Matt Chapman grounded into a double play that sealed it for Washington.
A couple highlights for the Nationals from Wednesday’s loss include Joey Gallo hitting a homer to put the Nationals up 1-0 early on, as well as catcher Drew Millar making his Washington debut, bunting for a hit and then stealing second base.
However, the Giants went on to score seven consecutive runs, all allowed by Nats starter Patrick Corbin, who was pulled after 5.2 innings.
Next up, Washington will remain in the Bay Area as they head out to Oakland to face the Athletics for an Interleague series.
