Washington, D.C. – The Washington Nationals secured a 2-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics in a low-scoring interleague contest on August 6, 2025, at Nationals Park, ending a six-game losing streak with CJ Abrams’ walk-off single in the ninth inning. Riley Adams tied the game with a solo home run in the sixth, while Tyler Soderstrom provided Oakland’s only run via a solo homer earlier in the inning. The Nationals Athletics game, attended by 14,980 fans and lasting 2 hours and 32 minutes, improved Washington’s record to 45-68, keeping them fifth in the National League East, while Oakland fell to 50-66, also fifth in the American League West.

Oakland starter Jeffrey Springs pitched six innings, allowing one run on one hit with five strikeouts and one walk, maintaining a 3.89 ERA. Springs held the Nationals hitless through five innings before Adams’ seventh home run of the season evened the score at 1-1. Reliever Sean Newcomb followed with two scoreless innings, striking out two, but Michael Kelly took the loss, dropping to 2-1 with a 1.77 ERA after yielding the decisive run on two hits in the ninth. Kelly faced Robert Hassell III, who doubled to lead off the inning, before Abrams lined a single to left field, scoring Hassell from second. The Nationals Athletics game highlighted Oakland’s bullpen struggles, as Kelly’s outing marked his first blown save opportunity since joining the rotation.

Credit: Washington Nationals

For Washington, starter Giuseppe Cavalli threw 4.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk in his season debut after injury recovery. Reliever Kaleb Pilkington gave up Soderstrom’s 20th home run but escaped further damage, picking off Darell Hernaiz at first base. Henry, Kohei Ogasawara and winner Jose Ferrer combined for 4.2 scoreless innings, with Ferrer earning his third victory at 3-3 with a 4.94 ERA after a perfect ninth. The Nationals Athletics game saw Washington commit two errors—by Paul DeJong and Abrams—but turn a double play to limit Oakland’s threats.

Offensively, Soderstrom went 1-for-4 with the homer and his 66th RBI, boosting his average to .258 in a breakout season for the 23-year-old catcher-turned-left fielder. Lawrence Butler struck out once and left runners in scoring position, while Gio Urshela singled in a 1-for-4 effort. Oakland managed four hits, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and leaving eight on base, including stranding Bleday twice. The Athletics stole no bases but saw Hernaiz caught stealing, his first of the year. In the Nationals Athletics game, Abrams finished 1-for-4 with the RBI, raising his average to .273, while Adams went 1-for-3 with the homer and 17th RBI, hitting .174 overall.

Hassell III doubled in the ninth for his fourth of the season, and Jacob Young struck out twice in an 0-for-3 performance. Washington collected four hits, converting 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position and stranding just one runner, a stark contrast to recent offensive woes. The team induced one double play from DeJong and benefited from Oakland’s inability to capitalize on opportunities. Umpires included Tony Randazzo at home plate, Phil Cuzzi at first, Dan Bellino at second and Clint Vondrak at third, with partly cloudy weather at 75 degrees and a 7 mph wind in from right field.

This Nationals Athletics game concluded a three-game series, with Washington avoiding a sweep after losses in the first two by combined scores of 15-4. The win snapped a skid that included a sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the week, where the Nationals allowed 14 runs in the finale. Entering August, Washington ranked last in the NL East, 25 games behind the leading Philadelphia Phillies, with a team ERA of 4.56 and batting average of .238. Rookie manager Mike Rizzo was fired in July, replaced by interim Mike DeBartolo amid rebuilding efforts focused on prospects like James Wood, who singled in the game, hitting .257.

Oakland, in its final season before a planned relocation to Las Vegas in 2026, has endured a challenging year, trailing the AL West-leading Houston Astros by 18 games. The Athletics’ pitching staff holds a 4.12 ERA, but the offense ranks near the bottom with a .232 average. Soderstrom’s emergence as a power hitter, with 20 homers tying him for team lead, provides a bright spot alongside Brent Rooker’s .273 average. The loss dropped Oakland’s road record to 22-36, continuing a pattern of close defeats in one-run games, where they stand 12-18.

The Nationals Athletics game exemplified pitching dominance, with 15 combined strikeouts and just eight hits, underscoring both teams’ rebuilding phases. As the season progresses toward September call-ups, prospects like Hassell III, batting .244 in his debut year, offer hope for Washington, while Oakland eyes draft positioning for future talent.

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