Jacob Young drives in go-ahead run as Nationals rally past Reds 5-4

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jacob Young hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, Lane Thomas bolstered his trade stock with a run-scoring double and the Washington Nationals rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Saturday night.

Derek Law (6-2) pitched two scoreless innings on an outstanding night for the Nationals’ bullpen after MacKenzie Gore’s shortest start of the season. Washington (46-53) has taken two straight from Cincinnati (47-52), damaging the Reds’ hopes of remaining relevant in the NL playoff race.

“That’s a good team over there. They’re in the hunt,” Law said. “It just goes to show that we should be in the hunt.”

Ildemaro Vargas doubled leading off the eighth against Justin Wilson (1-2). With two outs, Young lined Wilson’s first pitch through the left side to score Vargas from third.

“I call those like a locker room win, that kind of brings the team a little closer together,” Law said. “Everybody’s in here celebrating a little bit extra.”

In the seventh, Thomas fought off a low-and-away fastball from Fernando Cruz and lined it to right to drive in Young and tie the game at 4-all. Young finished 2-for-3 with two stolen bases.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said a day earlier that he would listen to trade offers for Thomas, a solid defensive outfielder who had a breakout 2023 season with 28 homers.

All-Star Kyle Finnegan, another potential trade target, worked the ninth for his 27th save in 31 chances.

Tyler Stephenson homered for the fifth time in eight games, a 426-foot shot to the left-center bleachers in the third that put Cincinnati ahead 4-2. By then, the Reds had already knocked Gore out of the game.

Gore began by throwing seven straight balls. He needed 19 pitches to get one out, 40 to get two and 48 to retire the side. The Reds scored twice on three walks, a single and a sacrifice fly.

“I have to be better. I understand what I’m doing wrong. I think we all do,” Gore said. “But I just have to figure out a solution because this is enough. I can’t keep doing this.”

After throwing 19 more pitches in the second inning and giving up Elly De La Cruz’s go-ahead RBI double, Gore was gone, replaced by Jordan Weems to start the third. Gore’s totals: three runs, two hits, four walks, 37 strikes and 30 balls.

“I wasn’t going to send him back out there,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.

Nick Lodolo had a workmanlike start for Cincinnati, working into the seventh inning and departing with a 4-3 lead.

“We got to get that one. It starts with me, too. We got two (runs) early and I gave it right back,” Lodolo said.

Harold Ramírez hit a 429-foot homer to the bleachers in left-center in the bottom of the first to make it 2-all.

Washington’s Juan Yepez extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games with a third-inning single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: OF TJ Friedl (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with the goal of returning for the series at Tampa Bay that starts Friday. ... INF Matt McLain (left shoulder surgery) will join the team Monday at Atlanta and the team is eyeing Aug. 12 for the start of his rehab assignment.

Nationals: RHP Cade Cavalli (Tommy John surgery) felt a dead arm after his last minor league rehab start on June 21 and then got the flu. He hasn’t pitched since but is expected to begin throwing on flat ground soon.

Washington seeks a three-game sweep on Sunday with right-hander Jake Irvin (7-8, 3.49 ERA) opposing Reds lefty Andrew Abbott (9-6, 3.39).

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