Washington Nationals celebrated a victory on Friday night as they defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-5. Patrick Corbin, on his 35th birthday, pitched six impressive innings, earning his second win of the season. Corbin retired the first eight batters and only allowed one run on three hits while striking out six. Juan Yepez contributed to the win with a three-run homer, his first as a National, extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
Despite a ninth-inning rally by the Reds, the Nationals managed to secure the win with All-Star closer Kyle Finnegan recording his 26th save. Keibert Ruiz also homered for the Nationals.
The Reds’ Frankie Montas struggled, giving up four runs, including a two-run shot by Ruiz and the three-run homer by Yepez. The Reds’ Elly De La Cruz had a solid game, stealing his major league-leading 47th base.
In terms of injuries, Reds’ OF Stuart Fairchild returned from the injured list, while LHP Brent Suter exited the game due to left shoulder tightness. Nationals’ 1B Joey Gallo is progressing in his hamstring injury recovery, while RHP Trevor Williams threw on flat ground.
Looking ahead, Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo will face Washington’s MacKenzie Gore in a lefty matchup on Saturday night.
The win comes at a crucial time for the Nationals as General Manager Mike Rizzo considers trade offers for players like Finnegan and Lane Thomas, as the team continues its rebuild. Corbin, a pending free agent, may also be a part of potential trades as Rizzo looks towards the future.
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