MLB Preview: Washington Nationals (46-63) at Cincinnati Reds (59-52)

WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:

OPPONENT – CINCINNATI REDS
The Nationals and Reds will play seven times this year (4 in D.C., 3 in CIN)…Nationals manager Dave Martinez spent the 1992 season with Cincinnati, hitting .254 with 20 doubles, five triples, three homers, 31 RBI and 47 runs scored in 135 games… Nationals hitting coach, Darnell Coles also spent the 1992 season with the Reds…Right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray was drafted by the Reds in the second round in 2018…Jeter Downs was drafted by the Reds in the first round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft and was later traded with Josiah Gray to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

THREE IN CINCY
The Washington Nationals begin a seven-game road trip today with the first of three games in Cincinnati against the Reds…After Sunday, the Nationals will head to the City of Brothery Love for a four-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies.

• The Nationals were walk-off winners on Wednesday to win their ninth of the last 11 games at Nationals Park…Alex Call’s ninth-inning chopper that forced an errant throw home and allowed two runs to score proved to be the difference in the Nationals 3-2 win.
• MacKenzie Gore impressed in a no decision, working 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on three hits with five strikeouts.
• The Nationals have won eight of their last 13, 12 of their last 21 and are 18-16 (.529) since June 24…This stretch includes series victories over the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers.

ROSTER MOVE
The Nationals recalled infielder Jeter Downs from Triple-A Rochester on Thursday and selected outfielder Blake Rutherford on Friday.

• Rutherford was hitting .345 in 62 games between Double and Triple-A this season and ranked in the Nationals Minor League system in home runs (T4th, 11), extra-base hits (5th, 32), total bases (T6th, 137), doubles (6th, 19), hits (T7th, 81) and RBI (T7th, 43).
• Downs recorded hits in 11 of his last 17 games (12-for-57) for Rochester with three doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, six walks, four stolen bases and 12 runs scored.

BORN TO RUN
CJ Abrams is fourth in the National League with 25 stolen bases… He has stolen 22 consecutive bases without being caught, the longest single-season streak in Nationals history (2005-pres.)and the second-longest streak overall in Nationals history (2005-pres.) behind Roger Bernadina (24 G, June 9, 2010 to June 24, 2011) according to the Elias Sports Bureau…It is the longest active streak in MLB…Abrams was last caught stealing on May 3 vs. Chicago (NL).

• Since being moved to the leadoff spot on July 7, Abrams is hitting .330 with three doubles, a triple, three homers, nine RBI, seven walks, two hit by pitch, 14 stolen bases and 20 runs scored…He’s hit safely in 18 of the 22 and has reached safely in 19 of the 22.
• Of note this series, Abrams is hitting .354/.407/.532 with six doubles, one triple, two homers, six RBI, five walks, eight stolen bases and 18 runs scored in 23 games against the NL Central this season.

NOBODY SHUTS OUT THE NATS
The Nationals have not been shut out since April 19 vs. Baltimore, a streak of 91 straight games…It is the longest single-season streak in Nationals history (2005-pres.) and the longest streak in MLB this season ahead of Arizona (87 G, March 30-July 5).

• The next longest single-season streak is held by the Seattle Mariners (97 G, June 12-Oct. 3, 2021).

BACKSTOP BATS
Some notes on Washington’s catchers:

• Riley Adams has produced multi-hit efforts in four of his last five starts and in five of his last seven… During this seven-game stretch, he is 11-for-27 (.407) with five doubles, a homer, six RBI and a walk.
• Keibert Ruiz is hitting .339 (20-for-59) with four doubles, two homers, eight RBI, five walks, one stolen base and seven runs scored over his last 17 games…He’s hit safely in 14 of the 17 games.

OK, KYLE
Kyle Finnegan has four saves, five holds and has pitched to a 0.84 ERA (2 ER/21.1 IP) with a .145 opponents’ average (10-for-69) in his last 19 appearances.

• He’s set a new career-high and is tied for eighth in the NL with 15 saves this season.
• Finnegan surrendered seven earned runs and three home runs in his first three outings…Since the next outing on April 7 at Colorado, he has pitched to a 1.65 ERA (8 ER/43.2 IP) with 43 strikeouts and three home runs allowed in 41 games.

LANE TRAIN
Lane Thomas ranks in the National League in hits (T4th, 121), doubles (T6th, 26), average (9th, .282), and runs (9th, 70)…He leads the National League (T1st in MLB) with a career-high 11 outfield assists.

STARTING PITCHER – #46 PATRICK CORBIN
Left-handed pitcher signed a six-year contract with the Nationals on Dec. 7, 2018…Was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series…Is a two-time National League All-Star (2018, 2013)… Has started at least 30 games for five consecutive full seasons (2017-19, 2021-22), joining Gerrit Cole as the only pitchers since 2017 to accomplish the feat.

LAST START
Worked 5.2 innings, allowed four earned runs on six hits, struck out two and did not walk any hitters on July 29 against the New York Mets at Citi Field…He earned the win in the Nationals’ 11-6 victory.

vs. CINCINNATI
Faced the Reds earlier this season on July 4…He allowed six earned runs on 10 hits, walked three and struck out two in 5.0 innings of work…Corbin is 5-5 with a 4.31 ERA in 13 career starts against the Reds.

RECENCY BIAS
Corbin is 3-2 with a 4.71 ERA (19 ER/36.1 IP), 30 strikeouts and just seven walks over his last six starts…He tossed 7.0 shutout innings on June 28 at Seattle (9 SO, 0 BB) and 7.0 innings of one-run ball on July 9 vs. Texas.

GLOVE WORK
Corbin leads Major League Baseball pitchers with 22 assists and is tied second in the Major League with four pickoffs…The four pickoffs match a career-high (2019, 2013).

1,500 STRIKEOUTS
With a strikeout of Jonathan Schoop on May 20 vs. Detroit, Corbin recorded his 1,500th career strikeout…He became the fourth Nationals pitcher to record 1,500 strikeouts in a Nationals uniform, joining Stephen Strasburg (2019), Gio González(2017) and Max Scherzer (2015) per the Elias Sports Bureau.

• Corbin ranks 18th among active pitchers with 1,553 strikeouts, behind Carlos Carrasco (1,559)…He is one of 231 players in baseball history with at least 1,500 strikeouts.

APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, FELLAS
Since joining the Nationals in 2019, Corbin is 32-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 41 starts when he throws at least 6.0 innings and receives at least three runs of support…
The Nationals are 37-4 in those games.

CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:

TONIGHT’S GAME

• Is Game 1 of a 3-game series vs Paul Lessard’s Nationals, Game 1 of a 6-game homestand (0-0 vs Wsh, 3g vs Mia) and Game 1 of a stretch in which the Reds will play at Great American Ball Park in 11 of the next 14 games (0-0 vs Wsh, 3g vs Mia, 3g at Pit, 2g vs Cle, 3g vs Tor).
• The Redlegs are coming off an 11-day, 4-6 road trip (1-2 at Mil, 2-1 at LAD, 1-3 at Chc).

SERIES NOTES

• Dating back to a 6-3 Reds win on 6/4/16, the Nationals have won 14 of the last 20 games at Great American Ball Park, but the Reds won 8 of the last 11 games here.
• From 7/3-7/6 the Reds produced their first 4-game sweep of the Nationals since 7/3-7/6, 2008 and their first ever 4-game sweep at Nationals Park.

MARLINS UP NEXT

• Next week’s will be the second meeting of the season between the Reds and Marlins, including a 2-1 series win by the Reds in May at loanDepot park.
• The Reds went 15-6 vs Mia over the previous 3 seasons (6-1 in 2019, 5-2 in 2021, 4-3 in 2022) following 4 straight losing season series to the Marlins.
• Between the 2014 and 2019 winning season series, the Reds went 10-18 vs Mia (3-4, 3-4, 2-5, 2-5).
• Marlins manager Skip Schumaker made 214 apps for the Reds during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

BIG ROAD MACHINE

• Beginning 5/26, the Reds are 24-11 over their last 5 road trips covering 11 road series.
• The Reds won 8 of their previous 11 road series, including a streak of 7 straight road series wins snapped by the Brewers in the last series before the All-Star Game break…also lost at Mil in the first road series of the second half.
• From 5/26-7/6, the Reds won at least 7 straight road series for only the third time in their history (3-0 at Cubs, 2-1 at Bos, 2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou, 2-1 at Bal, 4-0 at Wsh)…won 8 straight road series in 1923 (7/2-8/25) and 1976 (6/25-8/12)…courtesy @EliasSports.
• Went 8-1 on their road trip to StL (2-1), KC (3-0) and Hou (3-0)…for only the second time ever, won 8 games on a road trip of 9 games or fewer (8-0, 9/21-9/27, 1964)…was their first road trip of any length with at least 8 wins since 5/28-6/9, 1999 (9-3)…courtesy @EliasSports.
• The 10-3 loss on 6/26 at Bal snapped the Reds’ 8-game road winning streak, tied for the second-longest streak in the Major Leagues this season.

RUNNING MEN

• The Reds lead the Major Leagues with 124 stolen bases, their highest total since 2016 (139sb)…in 2022, the Reds recorded 58 steals…are trying to lead the National League in SB for the first time since 2015 (134sb).
• The Reds recorded 50 stolen bases in June, their highest steals total in a calendar month since September 1912 (53sb).
• 5 times this season recorded at least 5 stolen bases in a game (6sb on 6/2 vs Mil, 9sb on 6/3 vs Mil, 5sb on 6/25 at Bal, 6sb on Tue at Wsh, 5sb on 7/8 at Mil)…prior to 6/2, the Reds hadn’t recorded 5 stolen bases in a game since 4/10/17 at Pit.
• Their 9 stolen bases on 6/3 vs Mil (Jake Fraley 3, Spencer Steer 2, Jonathan India 2, Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild) was their highest single-game total since 5/30/1976 vs LAD (9sb)…the Reds’ single-game record since 1900 for stolen bases in a game remains 10 (5/29/1913 at StL).
• With Elvis Peguero pitching, Elly De La Cruz on 7/8 at Mil became only the fourth Reds batter ever to steal second, third and home in the same inning (Hans Lobert 9/27/1908, Dode Paskert 5/23/1910, Greasy Neale 8/15/1919)…became the first Major League batter to steal second, third and home in the same inning since Mia’s Jon Berti did it on 8/25/2020 at NYM…became the first Reds batter with a straight steal of home since Brandon Phillips did it on 7/10/2009 at NYM.

RED HOTS

• The Reds are the first team in Major League history to move into first place alone in 9 games or fewer after falling 5 or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least 5 games…on 6/9 were 29-35 and trailed the first-place Pirates by 5.0 games…beginning 6/10 won 9 straight games to move into first place alone on 6/19.
• The Reds’ 12-game winning streak from 6/10-6/23 tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
• The Reds went 18-9 in June, their highest victory total in any month since June 2014 (18-10).
• From 6/14-7/8 Reds batters established a new franchise record for consecutive games with at least 1 home run (22g, 45hr), a streak snapped in the 1-0 loss at Mil in the final game heading into the All-Star Game break…the 1956 Reds held the team record by homering in 21 consecutive games.
• The Reds have used 53 players…RHP Michael Mariot was on the roster for 1 day (7/8) but did not appear in a game…in 2022, the Reds used a club record 66 players.
• 12 Reds players have made Major League debuts this season, the most in the Major Leagues (RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Eduardo Salazar, OF TJ Hopkins, LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz, RHP Ricky Karcher, RHP Randy Wynne, RHP Jake Wong, IF Christian EncarnacionStrand)…16 rookies played in at least 1 game for the Reds.
• Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer on 7/4 at Wsh became the first set of rookie teammates in Major League history to finish in the same game 4-for-4 with at least 1 RBI (since RBI became an official statistic in 1920)…courtesy @EliasSports.

Tonight’s Pitcher – #51 Graham Ashcraft, RHP

• Tonight is making his third career appearance and start vs the Nationals, his second this season.
• In his first 6 starts through 5/2 went 2-0, 2.00 (.202baa).
• In his first 3 starts (19ip, 3er) became the eighth Reds pitcher, since 1901 and including Nick Lodolo in 2023, to begin a season with at least 17.0 innings while allowing 4 earned runs or fewer.
• Became the first Reds pitcher to begin a non-COVID season with 3 consecutive quality starts since Amir Garrett in 2017 (3qs).
• Became the first Reds pitcher to begin a season with 6 starts without allowing more than 2 earned runs in any of those starts since Luis Castillo began the 2019 campaign by allowing 2 ER or fewer in each of his first 7 starts.
• In his next 8 apps from 5/7-6/24 went 1-6, 12.82 (.386baa).
• In the 17-4 loss on 5/7 vs WSox allowed a career-high 8 runs in 1.2 innings…was the shortest start of his career and the shortest start by a Reds pitcher to that point in the season…was charged with all 8 runs in the second inning after throwing a perfect first…entered that 5/7 start leading all National League pitchers in bWAR (2.1), the third-best bWAR among all players in the Major Leagues (Gerrit Cole 2.5, Ronald Acuña Jr. 2.2).
• In his last 6 apps beginning 6/30, including 5 quality starts, went 3-1, 1.75 (.236baa).
• His 3-2 win on 7/19 vs SF snapped the Reds’ 6-game losing streak that tied their season high.
• Has made 7 apps since a 15-day stint on the injured list (left calf contusion, 6/9-6/23)…in those 7 starts went 3-2, 2.93 (40ip, 40h, 13bb, 26k, 6hr, .268baa).
• Was charged with 1 pitch timer violation (5/12 at Mia, Jorge Soler walked).
• Between a solo HR by Pit’s Bryan Reynolds in his season debut and a 2-run HR by WSox’ Hanser Alberto’s on 5/7 in his seventh start, Ashcraft recorded a career-high homerless streak of 33.0 innings.