​You don’t hear this often about the Nationals, but that was a nice, easy, comfortable win. The offense clicked on all cylinders, and Foster Griffin delivered another gem. A night after Blake Butera complained about the walks, the Nationals pitching staff did not issue a free pass all night. On the other side, the offense worked hard all evening, grinding out at-bats and drawing 10 walks while striking out only three times. Even when the runs weren’t pouring in in the early innings, it never felt like a matter of if, but when, they would break through.
And that’s exactly what happened in the middle innings, as the Nationals plated all eight of their runs in the third, fourth, and fifth frames. They strung together three straight multi-run innings and put the game away in a hurry. It began with two walks to start the third, setting up the opportunity to cash in. CJ Abrams delivered a sac fly, followed by Daylen Leile’s RBI double off the wall.
The fourth inning was where the offense truly surged into a feeding frenzy. After two quick outs, they wore down Spencer Arrighetti. Keibert Ruiz delivered a two-out knock, and the Nationals then maneuvered around James Word. The Astros apparently didn’t get the memo that Luis García Jr. is the hottest hitter in baseball, because he punished them with a three-run homer to right. García reached the 20-home-run milestone for the first time in his career at just the 87-game mark. He has mashed 15 homers in his last 30 games and boasts a 1.219 OPS over that span. I didn’t anticipate this level of power from García, and I suspect many others share that sentiment. He’s always had solid punch and good contact ability, but the power now feels less sneaky.
In the fifth, CJ Abrams joined the parade by reaching the 20-home-run plateau as well. He’s reached 20 before, but this marks a return to a career high. Abrams has slowed somewhat since his incredible April start, yet he remains highly productive. This series was particularly strong for him at the plate. In six July games, Abrams has already drawn three walks, a welcome development given that he only had four in all of June. It’s a sign that Abrams is refocusing and contributing more consistently, which bodes well for the second half as he works with the new coaching staff. The progress is encouraging, and there’s growing confidence that CJ can build on this momentum through July after a middling June.
We shouldn’t overlook the pitching side of the night, though. Foster Griffin was the headliner on the mound, delivering seven innings of one-run ball while striking out nine. He tied a career high with 22 whiffs, including nine on his cutter. Even though his fastball sat in the low-90s, Griffin isn’t merely a smoke-and-mirrors pitcher; he’s demonstrating real swing-and-miss stuff and the ability to miss bats consistently.
As the game progressed, Griffin’s command and mix continued to impress. He wasn’t chasing velocity for its own sake; he used location and movement to keep hitters off balance. The result was a standout performance that allowed a bullpen to finish the job with a comfortable cushion. It was a reminder that Griffin can be a reliable presence when he’s executing his plan and using all three facets of his repertoire effectively.
In sum, it was a complete team effort. The offense wore down an overmatched opponent by drawing walks and converting those opportunities with timely hits, while the pitching staff kept the doors closed, with Griffin delivering a masterful seven-inning outing. The combination produced a dominant Nationals victory that felt, from start to finish, under control and firmly in their hands. If this level of play can be sustained, it could be a sign of good things ahead as the season progresses.