Scranton/Wilkes-Barre made one swing count and rode it to first place.
A two-run homer in the eighth broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the RailRiders past Rochester, 5-3, nudging them into the top spot in the International League by percentage points. The Red Wings managed just five hits all night, and two of them came off Cayden Wallace, who supplied Rochester’s only extra-base hit with his 11th home run.
DJ Herz worked into the fifth for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out five. Matt Krook took the loss after giving up two runs in his one inning of work. It was also the first homer he has surrendered in 39 appearances.
Wallace finished 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk, an RBI, a stolen base, and a caught stealing. Nasim Nuñez went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and a caught stealing, and he also had an outfield assist at home plate.
In Harrisburg, New Hampshire needed extra innings to finish off a 2-1 win over the Senators, and the deciding blow came on a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th by the first batter of the inning.
Yoel Tejeda Jr. gave New Hampshire four shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out two. Alex Clemmey followed with 4 2/3 scoreless innings of his own, allowing one hit and one walk while punching out eight and picking off a runner at first base.
Thomas Schultz took the loss after allowing a single to the first batter he faced in both the ninth and 10th, with the second one turning into the game-ending homer. Elijah Green’s two-out RBI single in the 10th accounted for Harrisburg’s only run and its fifth hit of the night.
The Senators struck out 14 times, walked four times, and stranded nine runners. Green finished 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI, while Jacob Petry went 1-for-3 with a walk and a double.
In Other News...
Nationals Lottery Odds Could Shape Their Next Big Roster Break
The MLB draft lottery has already changed how the Nationals think about finishing at the bottom of the standings. Instead of the old worst-record-first setup, the three worst teams now share equal odds at the top pick, and Washington has already lived through the volatility of that system, going second in 2023 before landing the first pick in 2025. For a franchise trying to rebuild through the draft, the difference between a favorable bounce and a modest slide can shape the next wave of talent.
Looking ahead to 2027, the lottery picture is already starting to take shape, with some clubs removed from the pool because of market size or recent top selections. The Nationals are part of that conversation again, and the broader appeal is obvious: one draw can alter the course of an entire roster plan, especially when the next class is still coming into focus and the early pecking order remains fluid. [Read more 🡒]
Nats Push For Series Win As Pitching Plans Suddenly Get Interesting
A win in the previous game left Washington with a chance to take the series, and the pitching picture around it has changed quickly. Andrew Alvarez is set to start as the left-hander gets the ball, while the clubs offense has continued to do enough to keep the Nationals in a good spot, with a positive run differential and a top-three ranking in MLB in runs scored this season.
The roster churn has been part of the story, too, with the Nationals making several moves as they try to keep the staff moving in the right direction. Harry Ford is dealing with an injury concern but avoided an injured-list stint, and the clubs latest mix of arms now gives the next game a little more intrigue than it had a day ago. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Bullpen Reset Just Took A Turn Fans Saw Coming
The Nationals finally snapped their seven-game skid with a 4-3 win over the Angels, but the bigger bullpen storyline came once the game was over. Washington moved quickly to make a roster change, sending right-hander Clayton Beeter to Triple-A Rochester as the club continues sorting out the late innings after a long stretch of uneven relief work.
Beeter had been the teams primary closer for much of the season, but the second half brought a different version of him, with a rising ERA and the kind of control issues that made his role increasingly shaky. The demotion fits the direction many around the team likely saw coming, but it also leaves Washington with another bullpen question to answer as it tries to build some momentum off a much-needed win. [Read more 🡒]