WASHINGTON (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe hit a go-ahead triple with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and finished with four RBIs as the Washington Nationals rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 Wednesday night for a doubleheader split.
Josh Bell had three RBIs for Washington, which won at home for only the second time in 11 games since June 7.
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Washington Nationals' Josh Bell hits a single which scored James Wood against Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty during the third inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Washington Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) throws during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Washington Nationals' Luis García Jr. (2) slides into home plate and beats the tag from Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler and scores a run on a ball hit by Josh Bell against pitcher Jack Flaherty during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Jahmai Jones drove in two for AL-leading Detroit. The Tigers had won three in a row, including an 11-2 victory in the first game as Riley Greene hit two homers and tied a career high with six RBIs.
Detroit had retired 13 consecutive Nationals when Tommy Kahnle (0-1) entered in the eighth. With the Tigers leading 4-3, he gave up two singles and a walk before Lowe pulled one down the right-field line to clear the bases. Lowe scored on Bell’s double to left-center, which ended Kahnle’s outing.
The Nationals scored twice more when Paul DeJong greeted reliever Brenan Hanifee with an RBI single and came around on Jacob Young’s one-out grounder.
Cole Henry (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for his first major league victory.
Lowe and Bell had RBI singles in the first inning against Jack Flaherty, and Bell added another run-scoring hit in the third.
Flaherty allowed three runs in five innings while striking out nine, including the last seven Nationals he faced.
Spencer Torkelson hit a run-scoring double in the fourth for Detroit and pinch-hitter Colt Keith added an RBI double in the sixth. Jones’ two-run double in the seventh gave the Tigers the lead.
Washington starter MacKenzie Gore allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out a season-low two.
Lowe’s triple was the big hit in Washington’s six-run eighth inning.
Washington was 7 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
Detroit LHP Dietrich Enns (1-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his second start while Washington counters with RHP Jake Irvin (6-3, 4.73) in Thursday’s series finale.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Washington Nationals' Josh Bell hits a single which scored James Wood against Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty during the third inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Washington Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) throws during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Washington Nationals' Luis García Jr. (2) slides into home plate and beats the tag from Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler and scores a run on a ball hit by Josh Bell against pitcher Jack Flaherty during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Washington, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Keionte Scott peeked over at the Miami sideline to see the reaction of his teammates as he sprinted 72 yards untouched for a touchdown returning an interception against defending national champion Ohio State.
They certainly were excited, as were a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and a former coach who won national championships with the Hurricanes.
Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
“I was full of emotions. ... That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. ... That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”
The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.
Next for Miami in coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Ole Miss, the SEC teams in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
There hasn’t been a national title for “The U” since 2001, which was their fifth; Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes in their 1989 and 1991 championship seasons. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat championship in 2002 with a double-overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, the only other time the teams met in a bowl — and the last Miami played in that game.
“It is 100% not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family,” Cristobal said. “It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player and all the things that Miami did for my brother and I to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.”
Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, they were part of the Hurricanes' 1987 national championship. Irvin excitedly ran down the sideline while Scott was scoring for a 14-0 lead, and Johnson was nearby when acknowledged by Cristobal during the on-field trophy presentation.
Now it's third-ranked Ohio State (12-2, CFP No. 2 seed), which went into the game as a 9 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, that can't win back-to-back national titles for the first time in program history.
The Buckeyes hadn't played since a 13-10 loss to now-No. 1 Indiana in a Big Ten championship game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6. They still got a first-round bye, then lost just like all four teams that went directly to the quarterfinal round in the inaugural 12-team playoff last season.
“We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “I think the guys bought into it. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done.”
Scott's interception return came only 1:42 after Beck's quick pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield for a 9-yard score.
Beck, who was part of Georgia's national titles in 2021 and 2022 when Stetson Bennett was the starter, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards.
When asked what stood out to him about these Hurricanes, Beck said, “Just the way that this team has responded to adversity. We knew coming into today that it wasn’t going to be easy.”
The TD throw to Fletcher, who also ran 19 times for 90 yards and was the game's offensive MVP, was the seventh of 13 consecutive completions for Beck. That set a record in the Cotton Bowl, which was played for the 90th time.
Sayin, a freshman backup behind Will Howard for Ohio State's championship run last season, was 22 of 35 for 287 yards with two interceptions and a TD to Jeremiah Smith. Sayin was sacked five times.
AP All-America receiver Smith, the Miami native, caught seven of those passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard TD on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.
Carter Davis added a 49-yard field goal in the third quarter and ChaMar Brown ran for a 5-yard TD in the game's final minute for the Hurricanes, whose 24 points were the most Ohio State gave up this season.
Miami: The Hurricanes have won six games in a row since an overtime loss Nov. 1 at SMU, less than 25 miles from AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl is played. They also made their CFP debut in the Lone Star State, winning 10-3 at No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round on Dec. 20.
Ohio State: All-America safety Caleb Downs, who started in the CFP for the third season in a row, became the first player to force two fumbles in a CFP game. ... The Buckeyes had gone four consecutive quarters — the equivalent of a full game — until Bo Jackson’s 1-yard TD run to cap its opening drive of the second half.
Miami waits to see who it will play in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State is scheduled to open the the 2026 season at home against Ball State on Sept. 5.
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Former NFL football players Ray Lewis, left, and Michael Irvin react after Miami running back Charmar Brown, not visible, scored a rushing touchdown during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, right, hugs defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr. following the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, center, is sacked by Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., left, and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck, right, prepares to hand off to running back Mark Fletcher Jr. during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding, with Joe McGuire holding, misses a field goal against Miami during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day looks o during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas, right, makes a tackle on Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
