DETROIT– CJ Abrams hit a double and a home run and the Washington Nationals defeated the Detroit Tigers 7-5 on Wednesday night for their first five-game winning streak in three years.
Jake Irvin (5-5) gave up one run on six hits in six innings.
Washington last won five in a row between June 19-24, 2021. A win on Thursday would give the team its first six-game winning streak since an eight-game winning streak from September 23-29, 2019 – the the year the Nationals won the World Series.
“That’s amazing,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We are scoring runs and playing well, but this game is never as easy as it seems. We have to stop distributing outs.”
Detroit’s Reese Olson (1-8) allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. Olson has a 10.43 ERA in three June starts after posting a 1.92 ERA in his first 10 starts.
“He’s no longer a surprise to anyone,” Tigers coach AJ Hinch said. “He’s been here for more than 30 games.
Matt Vierling hit his first career home run to give Olson the lead, but Abrams tied the game with a home run in the third.
The Nationals were up 2-1 on Keibert Ruiz’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and then took control with a three-run fifth.
Jacob Young led off with a double and scored on Abrams’ two-base hit. Jesse Winker singled and Eddie Rosario made it 4-1 with an RBI single. Luis García Jr. reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second. Carson Kelly’s throw went to center field, allowing Winker to score from third.
Abrams nearly added to his batting lineup in the sixth, but Mark Canha made a diving stop at first base to rob him of an RBI double.
The Tigers scored three in the eighth, including two on Gio Urshela’s double.
“We had gotten some runners, but we never really got an inning until that one,” Hinch said.
Washington made it 7-4 with two runs off Will Vest in the ninth.
“It’s huge,” Winker said. “It’s a good team there, so any time we can add some runs, it’s big.”
Kyle Finnegan allowed a home run to Riley Greene in the bottom of the ninth inning before ending the game for his 19th save. Finnegan got the final four outs in Tuesday’s 5-4, 10-inning victory.
“We didn’t want to go to (Hunter) Harvey or Finnegan again tonight, but we had a chance to win the game,” Martinez said. “Who knows what will happen tomorrow – I hope we win 10-0.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
The Nationals placed 1B Joey Gallo on the injured list with a strained left hamstring and recalled INF Trey Lipscomb from Triple-A Toledo.
NEXT
The teams finish the three-game series on Thursday, with Detroit RHP Casey Mize (1-4, 4.73) facing LHP Patrick Corbin (1-7, 6.15).
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