WASHINGTON – The Nationals put extra pep in their run production in their 15-2 win over the Twins on Wednesday night at Nationals Park.
The Nats drove in 13 of those runs with extra-base-hit RBIs: a grand slam and a double by CJ Abrams (five RBIs), a double and a home run from Brady House (three RBIs), a homer from Drew Millas (two RBIs), a first career triple by Nasim Nuñez (one RBI) and a double and a home run from José Tena (two RBIs).
The Nationals entered the game ranked 27th in baseball with 49.7% of their RBIs (84-of-169) coming from extra-base hits.
“I thought they did a really good job of staying to the middle of the field,” said manager Blake Butera. “A bunch of doubles and extra-base hits to left-center and right-center. Then on the bases as well, Woody [James Wood] with two stolen bases, Daylen [Lile] had a stolen base. I thought we did a good job, once we did get on, picking the right spots to go and trying to make something happen.”
The Nationals tallied season highs in home runs (four), extra-base hits (10) and runs in the win. This, in spite of the fact they were held scoreless over the first three innings. Extra dugout chatter helped lead to those extra-base hits.
“[There was] constant communication and conversation about how each guy was being pitched,” said Butera. “I thought our hitting coaches did a tremendous job of recognizing that first time through, and then our players [were] talking with one another about how they were getting attacked.”
While Wood and Abrams lead the team in extra-base hits this season, Washington got a spark from a cast of contributors.
Millas entered the game with a .185 slugging percentage. He belted his third career home run -- and his first since June 21, 2024, at Denver -- in the fifth inning off Bailey Ober. Millas credited the work he has been putting in with the staff the past week, which stemmed from individualized check-in meetings the front office and coaches have been holding with each player.
“We put a little bit more weight on my front side, I’m standing a little taller,” Millas said. “They just didn’t want to see me be so robotic, they wanted me to use my athletic ability.”
In addition to his sixth-inning RBI double, the designated hitter Tena hit a solo homer in the eighth frame off Luis García. Tena extended his extra-base-hit stretch to four consecutive games, tied for second-longest in the Major Leagues. Only Cody Bellinger has a longer streak (five games).
“Whenever his name’s called, he’s been ready to go,” said Butera. “Whether that’s when he’s in the starting lineup as a DH, whether it’s when he’s called in to pinch-hit late in the game against the tough reliever, whether it’s to go in the game or second base, he’s ready for whatever opportunity comes about, and he makes the most of it.”
Abrams already had hit an RBI double off Ober in the fourth inning, but the Nationals have emphasized playing through to the final out. When he came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, Abrams seized the moment. He crushed a grand slam off former teammate García.
“Get a good pitch to hit and keep passing the baton,” said Abrams.
Two batters later, Tena made it a 15-run night for the Nationals. With that home run swing, the Nats surpassed their previous season-high run total of 14 scored on April 29 at Citi Field.
“You don't want to ever give away any at-bats; you never get them back,” said Butera. “So no matter what the score is, no matter what inning it is, no matter who's on the mound, be locked in for every pitch of every at-bat. That way, when you look back after the game or later in the season, you don't feel like you gave any at-bats away because they're all so precious and they mean just as much, no matter if the score’s 10-2 or 2-2.”