ST. PETERSBURG -- Closer Clayton Beeter earned the save Saturday in the Nationals’ riveting 4-3 win against the Rays at Tropicana Field. But the real save belonged to the Nats’ defense. It was spectacular, with at least three highlight-reel efforts that prevented a handful of runs.
The play of the game -- and maybe the season -- belonged to center fielder Jacob Young. With the Nationals protecting a one-run lead in the eighth inning, Young ran down what looked to be a certain extra-base hit from Victor Mesa Jr. in left-center field.
Young caught it in full-sprint mode as his head and right side crashed into the wall. Before crumpling to the turf in pain, Young had the presence of mind to shovel the ball to left fielder Daylen Lile, as Rays baserunner Chandler Simpson retreated to first base.
Trainers rushed to the field and checked out Young, who remained prone for about five minutes before walking to the dugout under his own power. Nationals manager Blake Butera said he got good news because Young’s injury was termed as "day to day." Butera said Young "got the wind knocked out of him," while feeling soreness and tightness in his right side.
"Unbelievable play," Butera said. "Absolutely unbelievable play. Huge moment in the game. Jacob is such a good center fielder and he busts his tail out there."
Young’s play was the talk of the Nationals’ clubhouse.
"It was a really awesome catch and great timing from him," said right fielder Dylan Crews, whose 442-foot solo home run in the ninth inning provided much-needed insurance. "He’s a Gold Glove type of player in my eyes."
"An amazing play," said reliever Brad Lord, who was on the mound and worked three innings of scoreless relief, including five strikeouts and no walks. "He has made so many of them this year. I just talked to him and he’s just a little sore and a little banged up. So prayers that nothing was wrong, nothing was broken. Just an amazing play."
It was only part of an amazing defensive effort from the entire Nationals team.
In the first inning, with Rays runners at first and second, shortstop CJ Abrams went deep in the hole to turn a picturesque double play with second baseman Nasim Nuñez, ending an inning that began with Tampa Bay loading the bases with nobody out. In the third, with Rays runners again at first and second, Crews made a running, sliding catch on a blooper near the right-field line to end the inning.
"Early on [in the season], we put in a ton of work on defense and we continue to do that," Butera said. “I’m just happy to see some of the success we’re having defensively and how much they’re helping our pitchers. If we want our pitchers to throw strikes and attack hitters, we’ve got to play really good defense."
Butera also had praise for the Nationals’ bullpen. A weakened Cade Cavalli, who was scratched from Friday’s start due to food poisoning, lasted just 2 2/3 innings. But after that, Mitchell Parker and Lord worked 5 1/3 scoreless frames. It was left to Beeter, who surrendered a run in the nervous ninth, when the Rays stole three bases. But Beeter collected two strikeouts with the tying run in scoring position.
"Huge, unbelievable performance by the bullpen," Butera said. “Cade battled for us and gave us everything he had. We knew we’d have to keep a close eye on him. Then Mitchell came in huge for us and Lordy was unbelievable for three innings as well. Beeter came in at the end and ended up shutting it down."
Defense and pitching were the biggest stories, but the Nationals also scratched out enough runs to make it all work.
The Nationals scored a pair of second-inning runs on Abrams’ solo homer (his 16th) and Nuñez's RBI double. In the fifth, Keibert Ruiz singled and went to third when James Wood’s double sailed over the head of Simpson in left field. Ruiz scored after Andrés Chaparro chopped a swinging bunt in front of the plate, leaving Rays catcher Nick Fortes with only one play to first base as Ruiz slid home.
That provided a lead Washington wouldn’t lose. The Nationals, now 24-15 on the road, will go for their sixth consecutive series victory in Sunday’s rubber game.