ST. PETERSBURG -- The Nationals held off the Rays, 4-3, on Saturday with clutch pitching and brilliant defensive play to pull even in their three-game series at Tropicana Field.
In the eighth inning, with one runner aboard in a one-run game, Nationals center fielder Jacob Young robbed Rays batter Victor Mesa Jr. of what appeared to be an extra-base hit into the left-center-field gap. Young closed that gap, leaping like Superman and colliding against the wall to make the catch. Young had the presence to quickly shovel it to left fielder Daylen Lile, before collapsing in pain, so Rays baserunner Chandler Simpson couldn’t advance from first base.
Young was down on the warning track for about five minutes after the collision before being removed from the game. His status wasn’t immediately known.
In the third, there was a sliding inning-ending catch from right fielder Dylan Crews with two runners on. And in the first, shortstop CJ Abrams went deep in the hole to start an acrobatic inning-ending double play, again with two runners aboard.
There was stellar work from the bullpen as Mitchell Parker, Brad Lord and Clayton Beeter held the Rays to just one run in 6 2/3 innings.
The Nationals took a 3-2 lead that they wouldn’t lose in the fifth. Keibert Ruiz opened with a single, then headed to third when James Wood doubled over Simpson’s head in left field. Ruiz scored when Andrés Chaparro chopped a swinging bunt in front of the plate, giving Rays catcher Nick Fortes only one play at first base.
The Nationals scored twice in the second on Abrams’ solo homer (his 16th) and Nasim Nuñez’s RBI double.
Crews provided insurance on his solo home run that led off the ninth inning.