CJ Abrams hit a pair of home runs and drove in all three runs as the visiting Washington Nationals topped the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Abrams reached 100 RBIs for the season with his solo shot in the second inning, then broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh with his 33rd long ball of the season, a two-run blast. Dylan Crews had two hits and scored the other run for the Nationals (74-84).
Rookie Jackson Kent (2-4) earned the win in long relief. He allowed one run on six hits over four innings and struck out three. Opener Riley Cornelio lasted 2 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking three. Jack Sinclair tossed 1 1/3 innings of spotless relief, and Erik Tolman recorded his fourth save of the season, striking out three in the ninth.
Ben Malgeri scored the Tigers’ only run. Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark each had two hits, while Spencer Torkelson reached base four times (three walks and a hit by pitch) and Hao-Yu Lee reached base three times (one hit and two walks).
The Tigers left 11 runners on base and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. They also grounded into two double plays and had a runner picked off.
Starter Drew Anderson (5-7) gave up three runs and five hits while striking out five in six innings for Detroit (74-84). Tyler Kinley, Brant Hurter and Beau Brieske each tossed an inning of scoreless relief.
The teams will play the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon. Detroit cruised to a 9-2 victory in Monday’s series opener.
Abrams’ first homer came on an Anderson fastball that he drove over the right-center field wall an estimated 418 feet.
Detroit tied the game in the sixth inning. McGonigle reached on a passed ball after striking out. The next two batters forced the runner out at second. Clark then singled to right field, moving Malgeri to third. Malgeri scored on Kent’s wild pitch.
In the next inning, Crews reached on an infield single and stole second before Abrams launched an Anderson changeup over the right field wall.
