CINCINNATI (AP) — Eddie Rosario capped a three-run ninth inning off All-Star closer Alexis Díaz with a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and the Washington Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 on Saturday.
Pinch-hitter Nick Martini gave the Reds a 6-4 lead with a two-run double in the eighth against Hunter Harvey (1-0).
Díaz, who had 37 saves in 40 chances last year, walked CJ Abrams on four pitches leading off the ninth, gave up a one-out RBI single to Jesse Winker and then allowed Joey Meneses’ single and a walk to Joey Gallo.
Díaz forced in the tying run when he grazed Keibert Ruiz with a fastball. Pinch-runner Nasim Nuñez scored standing up on Rosario’s opposite-field fly to left.
Kyle Finnegan pitched around a walk in the bottom half for the save as the Nationals rebounded from an opening 8-2 loss on Thursday.
“That’s a good one for us,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We battled back. We hung in there. I know one thing about this team — we’re going to fight for 27 outs and it showed today.”
Nationals third baseman Trey Lipscomb went 1 for 4 in his big league debut. The 23-year-old, a third-round draft pick in 2022, singled to left in his first at-bat in the third inning and then stole second. Lipscomb fielded Tyler Stephenson’s grounder and threw to first for the game’s final out.
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“I loved watching him put there. He made some really good plays at third base,” Martinez said. “He’s got a cannon over there.”
Nationals starter Patrick Corbin gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, including a two-run homer to Luke Maile an a solo shot to Jeimer Candelario.
Reds starter Hunter Greene allowed two runs and five hits while striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings.
Cincinnati gave Washington an extra out in the fourth when a ball dropped in center as fielders converged and another in the sixth when second baseman Santiago Espinal misplayed an infield popup . Both were ruled hits.
“Hunter threw the ball well,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Things happened behind him that didn’t go his way.”
Ruiz hit a solo homer in the eighth off Lucas Sims.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Dave Martinez said 3B Nick Senzel won’t require surgery after Senzel broke his right hand during batting practice on Thursday. Senzel was put on the 10-day IL and the team selected the contract of Lipscomb from Triple-A Rochester.
Reds: Bell said LHP Sam Moll is healthy after missing spring training with a sore left shoulder. Moll is scheduled for a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville.
UP NEXT
RHP Nick Martinez makes his Reds debut against Nationals RHP Jake Irvin in the series finale on Sunday. ___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB