MacKenzie Gore strikes out 11 as Nationals beat Athletics 3-1

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — MacKenzie Gore tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, CJ Abrams hit an RBI triple and the Washington Nationals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Saturday.

Gore (2-0) tossed five scoreless innings, throwing 90 pitches and striking out the last five batters he faced. He struck out the side in the fifth before giving way to the bullpen. Nationals pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts. Kyle Finnegan recorded his fifth save of the season.

“It's beautiful,” manager Davey Martinez said of Gore's performance. “He attacked the strike zone, he goes out there and he competes. Hopefully now, we can see that consistency.”

Martinez said he was not tempted to leave Gore in the game, with a pitch count set at 90. Gore said he understood, crediting the bullpen for closing out the win.

“I was missing bats,” Gore said. “I knew we were locating. (Catcher Riley Adams) was really good today. We had a good game plan. I was able to execute it good enough where we got into a rhythm.”

Abrams, who has hit safely in eight of the last 10 games, had a one-out RBI triple in the third inning to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. Luis García Jr. made it 2-0 in the sixth with an RBI double.

“I felt great to be able to come through in that situation,” García said through an interpreter. “We have been struggling with runners in scoring position. But we battled, we stayed together and we kept battling in our at-bats. Hopefully we get more of those driven in.”

Jacob Young knocked in an insurance run in the ninth with a two-out double after Abraham Toro cut the deficit to 2-1 in the seventh with an RBI double.

The Nationals, nearing the end of a week-long Bay Area trip, took two out of three in San Francisco earlier in the week and got back in the win column after dropping the final game against the Giants and the series opener at the A’s on Friday.

The A’s announced a season-low 3,330 fans in attendance on a cold weekend afternoon, the second time in nine home games this year that the team — which is leaving Oakland after this season — drew fewer than 4,000 fans.

Oakland had won five of six entering the game following a 1-7 start to the season, and can still win its third straight series with a victory on Sunday.

A’s starter Joe Boyle (1-2) allowed one run on five hits in five innings. Manager Mark Kotsay praised the righty's performance despite the loss.

“I thought he did his job really well and effectively,” Kotsay said. "There's a lot of lefties in that lineup today, and he gave us a chance after five to just have a one-run deficit. I thought he did really good."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: Catcher Keibert Ruiz missed his fourth consecutive game with an illness. He was feeling better on Friday and available in case of an emergency, but had a setback on Saturday morning, manager Davey Martinez said. Martinez described Ruiz’s illness as a “five to seven day deal.” The Nationals had just one catcher available on Saturday in Riley Adams.

UP NEXT

LHP Alex Wood (0-1, 8.03 ERA) will pitch for the A’s against LHP Trevor Williams (2-0. 2.61 ERA) for the Nationals on Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Oakland Athletics' Abraham Toro hits an RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Washington Nationals second baseman Luis García Jr. (2) and shortstop CJ Abrams celebrate the team's victory over the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Washington Nationals right fielder Lane Thomas (28) and second baseman Luis García Jr. (2) celebrate after the team's victory over the Oakland Athletics following a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics' Kyle Muller pitches to a Washington Nationals batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Washington Nationals' Jesse Winker (6) celebrates with teammates at the dugout after scoring against the Oakland Athletics on Luis García Jr.'s double during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof, left, throws to first baseman J.D. Davis, foreground, for the out on Washington Nationals' Trey Lipscomb during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Washington Nationals pitcher Robert Garcia throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Washington Nationals' Trey Lipscomb (38) celebrates with teammates at the dugout after scoring against the Oakland Athletics on Jacob Young's double during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Washington Nationals' MacKenzie Gore pitches to an Oakland Athletics batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.

Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.

“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”

Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.

Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.

“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”

New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.

“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”

With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.

“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”

Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.

“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”

Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.

Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.

“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”

Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.

Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.

Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)