WASHINGTON -- The afternoon after an eighth-inning rally fell short against the Padres, the Nationals got redemption in the seventh.
King had only allowed one run and was breezing through on a low pitch count.
Trailing 3-1, former Padre CJ Abrams got the Nats' offense going with a leadoff line-drive single to center field. José Tena reached on a fielder’s choice to second base, prompting a mound visit.
Jorbit Vivas drew a walk to load the bases for Dylan Crews. King hit Crews with a mislocated first-pitch sinker to bring in a run, ending his day with the bases still loaded with no outs.
Reliever Bradgley Rodriguez attempted to halt the Nats, but they were just getting started.
In the next at-bat, Drew Millas hit a fielder’s choice to Fernando Tatis Jr. at second base. Tatis threw to shortstop Xander Bogaerts at second for the automatic out, but the veteran infielder committed a missed catch error as Crews slid. Tena scored to tie the game, 3-3. Padres manager (and former Nationals pitcher) Craig Stammen was ejected for arguing the call, after San Diego challenged the safe call at second but was unsuccessful.
Pinch-hitter Curtis Mead then drew a go-ahead bases-loaded walk. Meanwhile, Rodriguez settled in after a mound visit to strike out James Wood, but it was a temporary pause.
Luis García Jr. hit a two-run single into center field, and Daylen Lile plated Mead the next at-bat with a force out to second base.
The Nats’ rally ended after they batted around the order and Abrams struck out in his second plate appearance of the inning, but not before Washington had pulled ahead, 7-3.