Nats 'stay stubborn,' strike for 3 in 9th to win

SAN FRANCISCO -- Don’t count out the Nats.

For much of Monday night’s series opener against the Giants at Oracle Park, Washington was held at bay by San Francisco ace Logan Webb -- their only run through eight frames coming courtesy of James Wood's adventure around the bases in the sixth inning.

But the Nats boast the Majors’ most productive offense in terms of runs scored, and this night their bats responded at precisely the right time in a thrilling 4-3 comeback win -- the first time they’ve won this season after trailing at the end of the eighth inning.

Trailing by two runs in the ninth inning, things began on a rough note as Wood grounded out to first on one pitch. But then Luis García Jr. doubled, Curtis Mead was hit by a pitch from Keaton Winn and Giants catcher Eric Haase let a passed ball advance both runners.

In stepped CJ Abrams, who laced a 2-0 splitter up the middle to tie the game, before Daylen Lile's bloop single to center plated Abrams and fully turned the tables on the host Giants.

“Just trying to stay stubborn,” said Abrams of his approach with two runners in scoring position in the ninth.

The clutch single pushed Abrams’ average with runners in scoring position to a robust .381 this season (24-for-63).

The late heroics gave the scrappy Nats a rather unexpected victory, brought to the finish line by Gus Varland, who got into and out of major trouble in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Bryce Eldridge with the potential tying run on third base to seal it.

Miles Mikolas was also instrumental in the win, logging 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a bulk-relief role after opener Richard Lovelady to keep things scoreless until the Nats could finally break through.

“You know, I’m surprised that it’s our first [win after trailing through eight],” Mikolas said, “because I feel like we’ve been really scrappy late in the game, keeping the game close and getting there with the last at-bat.”

Mikolas also retired the dangerous Rafael Devers in a key at-bat in the third, getting him to pop out to Abrams at shortstop on an inside fastball with a runner on third base and one out before getting out of the frame unscathed.

“I’d better stick to the plan,” Mikolas said of his approach facing Devers. “This guy’s gotten me a few times before. So, you know, stick to what works best.”

What also works best for the Nats, it seems, is entrusting the game’s key moments to Abrams at the plate.

Both manager Blake Butera and several of Abrams’ teammates spoke postgame of the confidence they feel when he comes up in a crucial spot.

“He continues to do it, just extremely clutch,” said Butera. “He's a leader, he loves the spotlight, and we love when he's up in big spots.”

Abrams’ impressive first third of 2026 comes after a ‘25 that included a second-half slump (.217/.266/.368) and his name surfacing in trade rumors as the Nats struggled to a 66-96 finish and a managerial and front-office shakeup.

“We just continue to talk to CJ and tell him how happy we are that he's on our team, and the way he's gone about it,” said Butera. “He's been an absolute pro, the way he's playing.”

But Abrams wasn’t the only hero in the ninth, as Liles’ lofted single pushed across that all-important go-ahead run.

“In moments like that, the crowd’s a little bit juiced, especially with CJ coming through,” said Liles, “I’m just trying to find a way to slow down, stay true to my approach and just stay within myself.”

Count Liles as one of Abrams’ colleagues who’ve come to expect such a star turn on any given night.

“He's on a heater right now,” Liles said. “For him to come through, I mean, we've seen CJ do that 1,000 times, so it's nothing new to us.”

By the time it was all done, the Nats (34-33) improved to one game behind their high-water mark so far in 2026.

“We're just a young group who's very confident in their abilities,” said Lile. “It's just a matter of time for us to show everybody what we're capable of doing, and I feel like we're doing that so far.”