The Washington Nationals adjusted with a pitching change ahead of the game before playing from behind the rest of the night
The Nationals had to make adjustments on the mound as Cade Cavalli was scratched as tonight's starter due to an illness. Instead PJ Poulin started for the Nationals with Miles Mikolas to follow.
Yet the second inning started off strong for the Nationals. On just the second pitch, CJ Abrams homered the 92 mph cutter 412 feet to center. The Nationals came up short and left one runner stranded on second to close out the inning.
The Nationals held off the Rays' offense as they searched for redemption to tie things up in the second.
It appeared that Wood was going to add to the Nationals' lead in the third inning, but he just came up short. Instead, Luis García Jr. found the sweet spot on the first pitch to him as he homered the 95 mph sinker 364 feet to left. Ahead 2-0, the Nationals needed to continue to tack on the runs even if all they could produce were one run innings.
Instead, it was too good to be true for Nationals fans. Just when it looked like the Nationals were moving in the right direction, the Rays gained control.
Rays' Jonathan Aranda wiped the Nationals lead after he drilled a 87 mph changeup to left and hit the foul pole for the three-run home run to push Tampa Bay ahead, 3-2.
As the Nationals looked to even the game they came up short in the fourth inning. However, the Rays continued to add on to their lead. Rays Richie Palacios doubled to right for the Rays before Taylor Walls sent Palacios home to make it a 4-2 Tampa lead in the fourth.
The Nationals and Rays prevented one another from any more runs allowed to occur from the fifth to the seventh inning.
As time started to drain, the Nationals needed to dial in. And it looked like the Nationals were on the patch to a comeback victory. The eighth inning started with Jorbit Vivas when he singled to left. Jacob Young also reached first after an error by Rays fire baseman, Aranda.
With Vivas on second and Young on first, the Nationals turned to Wood to get the Nationals back in the game. Wood drilled the ball out to center but Vivas secured third. Now with runners on corners for the Nationals and one out the Nationals were still in it.
But, Young secured the second out after he was unsuccessful when he attempted to steal second. And in no time, the third out was tacked on when Curtis Mead grounded out to the pitcher.
Johnny DeLuca added insurance to the Rays lead after he homered the 83 mph sweeper 398 feet to left to make it 5-2 for the home team and marking the game's final run.
The Nationals will look for redemption on Saturday when the two teams meet for a 4:10 PM first pitch with Cavalli set to take the mound.
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