A four run ninth inning proved to be the difference on Friday night, ending a two game slide as the Washington Nationals downed the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-3, in game one of the three game series.
James Wood accounted for four of the team's 11 hits in the win, adding both one strikeout and one RBI, while CJ Abrams notched his third multi-hit game of the season after going 2-for-3 with an RBI in the win.
Jacob Young ties this ball game at 3.Here comes Cionel Perez trying to keep us tied.#Natitude pic.twitter.com/zrn7qkOFBF
In his third start, Jake Irvin rebounded after giving up a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to post five strikeouts and five walks while giving up just two hits across five innings. Though it would be PJ Poulin to pick up the win after he took down the Brewers in order to end the eighth inning before Clayton Beeter stepped in to close out the win.
Wood's first hit would set up the game's first run after his double into center set up Curtis Mead to single into center for the RBI, then CJ Abrams' two-out double brought Mead home to put the Nationals ahead, 2-0.
After the Brewers answered with a three run home run in the bottom of the frame, the two teams remained deadlocked at 3-2 into the seventh inning, thanks to Paxton Schultz getting out of a jam with two runners on with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning.
That mattered because in the top of the seventh, a double by Jacob Young stretched into a triple was enough to bring in Luis Garcia Jr for the game's tying run.
Cionel Perez then retired the side in the bottom of the inning before PJ Poulin did the same in the eighth, setting up what proved to be the game-winning sequence for the Nationals.
Three run ninth inning for the #Nationals so far to take a 6-3 lead in game one against the Brewers π pic.twitter.com/2mm5sXgXEk
β Nationals on Roundtable (@NatsRoundtable) April 11, 2026
CJ Abrams opened the ninth inning with a hit by pitch before a Joey Wiemer bunt got both runners on. Next at bat, a single by Luis Garcia Jr broke the deadlock before a sac bunt by Jorbit Vivas and Drew Millas pushed Washington ahead, 6-3.
James Wood added the insurance run with a double into right field, bringing Vivas across the plate for the game's final run.
Clayton Beeter came on to retire the side to record his second save of the season.
The Nationals, now 5-8 overall, will return to action on Saturday, April 11 for game two against the Brewers with first pitch set for 7:10 PM on MLB.TV.