Washington led for seven innings. Then the eighth arrived, and the Yankees took over. New York scored all four of its runs in a single frame, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 victory at Nationals Park on Saturday.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| WSH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
Cam Schlittler held the Nationals to 2 runs over 6.2 innings, striking out 6 and allowing 4 hits, carrying a 2.05 ERA into the game. He did not factor in the decision, but his length gave the bullpen the platform it needed. Brent Headrick earned his fifth win of the season, and David Bednar closed it out with his 18th save, working a scoreless ninth.
The Eighth Inning
Washington's Clayton Beeter entered to protect the lead and could not record an out. Ryan McMahon opened the rally with a solo home run to right center, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Then Trent Grisham homered to right, with Jose Caballero scoring ahead of him, to give New York a 3-2 lead — the go-ahead swing of the game. Paul Goldschmidt followed with a solo shot to left center, extending the advantage to 4-2. Beeter was charged with the loss, his second of the season.
Washington had built its lead on consecutive first-inning home runs. James Wood homered to right center to put the Nationals ahead, and Curtis Mead followed with a solo shot to left center to make it 2-0. Wood finished 3-for-5 with a home run and an RBI; Mead went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. The Nationals managed 7 hits on the night but could not add to their early advantage.
Ryan McMahon is approaching 500 career runs and 500 career RBI — he entered the game with 492 runs and 496 RBI. The Yankees improved to 53-42 and have won three straight. Washington fell to 48-48.