Nationals Overcome Tigers 9-4 in Doubleheader Split

Nathaniel Lowe's pivotal eighth-inning triple propelled the Washington Nationals to a 9-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers, allowing them to split the doubleheader on Wednesday night. With the bases loaded, Lowe's hit not only gave Washington the lead but also marked a significant moment in his performance, finishing the game with four RBIs.

Josh Bell contributed significantly as well, driving in three runs for the Nationals, who celebrated just their second home win in 11 games since June 7. The team’s resurgence came at a crucial time, as they sought to break a streak of disappointing performances.

On the other side, Jahmai Jones stood out for the AL-leading Tigers, bringing in two runs. Detroit had entered the game on a three-game winning streak, including a dominant 11-2 victory in the first matchup of the day, where Riley Greene showcased his power with two home runs and six RBIs.

As the game progressed, the Tigers appeared to be in control, having retired 13 consecutive Nationals batters until Tommy Kahnle (0-1) took the mound in the eighth. With Detroit leading 4-3, Kahnle struggled, allowing two singles and a walk before Lowe's decisive hit down the right-field line cleared the bases. Bell followed with a double to left-center, extending Washington's lead and ending Kahnle's outing.

The Nationals added two more runs shortly after when Paul DeJong greeted reliever Brenan Hanifee with an RBI single, and Jacob Young's grounder brought another run across.

Cole Henry (1-1) secured his first major league victory by pitching a scoreless eighth inning, showcasing his potential on the mound.

Earlier in the game, Lowe and Bell had already made their mark with RBI singles in the first inning against Jack Flaherty, who allowed three runs over five innings while striking out nine, including a streak of seven consecutive Nationals batters.

For Detroit, Spencer Torkelson's run-scoring double in the fourth and pinch-hitter Colt Keith's RBI double in the sixth kept them competitive. Jones' two-run double in the seventh briefly gave the Tigers the lead before Washington's explosive eighth inning turned the tide.

MacKenzie Gore, starting for Washington, allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings but struck out only two batters, marking a season low. The Nationals capitalized on their opportunities, going 7 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Looking ahead, Detroit's LHP Dietrich Enns (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is set to make his second start, while Washington will counter with RHP Jake Irvin (6-3, 4.73) in Thursday's series finale.