WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — CJ Abrams and Dylan Crews hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning to send the Washington Nationals to a 5-2 victory over the Athletics on Sunday.
Foster Griffin (11-2) allowed one run on eight hits and struck out two in seven innings. His 11th win moves him into a tie for second in the NL in the 30-year-old’s first full season as an MLB starter after three years in Japan.
The Nats improved to 12-3-1 in series play on the road and won their 11th rubber game of the year. The A’s have not won a series since taking two of three against Colorado in Las Vegas June 12-14.
Curtis Mead started the scoring with an RBI groundout in the third, but Tyler Soderstrom’s RBI single tied the game for the A’s.
Harry Ford gave Washington the lead for good with a double in the fourth that drove in Crews.
Abrams sent Elvis Alvarado’s four-seamer 422 feet to straightaway center to extend the lead to three, and Crews tacked on a 362-foot solo shot two pitches later.
Abrams set a career high with his 21st homer.
Clayton Beeter worked 1 1/3 innings, allowing one run but striking out two for his eighth save.
A’s starter Jacob Lopez (4-4) allowed two hits and two runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. He struck out six and walked two. Shea Langeliers and Alika Williams each had two hits.
Up next
The Nats continue their road trip with a three-game set against the Rockies. LHP Andrew Alvarez (2-3, 4.04 ERA) takes the hill against LHP Kyle Freeland (2-8, 7.36) in the series opener.
The A’s begin a three-game series in Arizona on Monday, where LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-9, 6.08 ERA) faces LHP Mitch Bratt (0-0, 6.00).
___
AP MLB:
