The Detroit Tigers just couldn’t catch a break, dropping their third game of the series against the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Wednesday. What a brutal way to miss out on a series win, especially when they were hoping to roll into that farewell-to-Verlander weekend feeling good and on a high note.
Valdez Started Hot, But the Wheels Got Shaky
Framber Valdez came out firing, doing his usual thing with a quick 1-2-3 inning right off the bat. It was surprising with two strikeouts, almost making you wonder if he’s changing his game, but then he settled back into his groundball groove in the second with another three-up, three-down. The Nationals brought Richard Lovelady out as an opener, who got pulled after Dillon Dingler’s walk and a sac bunt, with Brad Lord coming in to close out the second. But even Valdez, usually so solid, started showing some cracks in the fourth. He gave up a couple of two-out baserunners to Brady House and CJ Abrams, though he thankfully got out of it without giving up a run.
By the fifth inning, Valdez’s command was clearly wobbling. He walked Harry Ford, who then moved to second on a wild pitch, and then Nasim Nunez got a free pass too. Valdez managed to escape that jam without runs, but man, you gotta wonder if AJ Hinch should have been quicker with the hook. The writing’s on the wall this season: Valdez usually gets torched when he faces the lineup for the third time and his stuff isn’t crisp. The Nats went to their bullpen again in the fifth for Will Dion.
McGonigle’s Historic Effort and Malgeri’s Blast Can’t Clinch the Win
On offense, the Tigers just couldn’t get it done for most of the game. Hao-Yu Lee got a one-out single in the first, but nothing came of it. Dillon Dingler walked, got bunted to second by Max Clark, but again, nada. But then there’s Kevin McGonigle. This dude is consistently making history! He ripped a one-out double in the third, and then singled again in the fifth after Zach McKinstry walked. He’s been on base an INSANE 261 times this season, which is just incredible. But even with all that hustle and getting on base, the Tigers couldn’t drive him home when it mattered. Max Clark even hit into a double play in the fourth, killing a leadoff walk by Riley Greene. At least Ben Malgeri finally got one across for them with a solo shot in the sixth, while Andres Chaparro and Brady House singled, and CJ Abrams also singled in the same inning.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, losing like this and missing out on a series win. Now the Tigers have to pick themselves up fast for their upcoming farewell-to-Verlander weekend series. Hopefully, they can shake off this loss and find a way to get some runs across the plate, especially with guys like McGonigle doing everything they can to get on base. What do you think, can they bounce back?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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