Nationals top Tigers 4-2 as Detroit's offense stalls again
The short version
- Nationals beat the Tigers 4-2 on Sept. 23 at Comerica Park
- Framber Valdez retired the first 11 batters and allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings
- Rookie Ben Malgeri hit a solo homer; Tigers rookies had seven of eight hits
- Tigers begin a three-game series vs. Pittsburgh on Friday, Sept. 25, with Jackson Jobe scheduled to start
Framber Valdez retired the first 11 batters he faced, but rookie-heavy Detroit managed only two runs in the Wednesday loss at Comerica Park.
The Washington Nationals defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Comerica Park, closing out Detroit's next-to-last series of the season. The Tigers fell to 74-85, while Washington improved to 75-84.
Tigers starter Framber Valdez set down the first 11 Nationals he faced, mixing six strikeouts with four groundouts and a popout before Brady House singled with two outs in the fourth. Valdez allowed two runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings, exiting after Washington took a 1-0 lead in the sixth on an RBI single by CJ Abrams.
Reliever Tyler Kinley took over and gave up a two-run home run to first baseman Yohandy Morales, stretching the Nationals' lead to 3-0. Washington added a fourth run in the seventh, when Nasim Nuñez singled, stole second and third, and scored on a James Wood groundout.
Rookie Ben Malgeri led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run, his fifth of the season and second in three games. Detroit's rookies collected seven of the team's eight hits, including three from Kevin McGonigle, who leads all MLB rookies in hits, walks and FanGraphs WAR.
Malgeri singled again in the ninth to drive in Jace Jung and pull the Tigers within two, but Riley Greene flied out to end the game with the tying runs on base. Detroit now has Thursday off before opening a season-ending three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, Sept. 25, with Jackson Jobe lined up to start.
