SEATTLE — Jordan Weems worked out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the 10th inning against the heart of Seattle’s order, Lane Thomas hit a two-run double in the 11th, and the Washington Nationals beat the Mariners 7-4 on Tuesday night.
“This team is relentless,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “They don’t give up, they stay focused, they stay in the game, and we come out victorious at the end.”
Weems (1-0) entered in the 10th with the game tied at 4-4 and intentionally walked leadoff batter J.P. Crawford to set up a potential double play with the automatic runner at second. He fell behind 3-0 to Julio Rodríguez before getting called for a pitch-clock violation.
Weems then retired Ty France on a foul popup, struck out Teoscar Hernández and set down Cal Raleigh on a comebacker.
“We just didn’t execute,” Raleigh said. “It was three terrible at-bats. We got to find a way to get that run in. That’s what good teams do and we’re not doing it right now.”
With two outs in the 11th and first baseman France positioned off the bag, Thomas grounded a 1-0 pitch from Trevor Gott (0-3) down the right-field line to drive in Michael Chavis and Ildemaro Vargas. Luis García followed with an RBI single.
It continued a red-hot June for Thomas, who is batting .333 this month. He has hit safely in 14 of his past 15 games.
“I chased a few sliders earlier, so I really just wanted to stay through the middle and not be out front and swing through something, especially with a chance to drive some runs in,” Thomas said.
“I was a little late, but it got through there.”
Weems retired the side in the 11th to close it out. He struck out three in his two innings.
“I just kept taking deep breaths and stepping off and kept telling myself, ‘Trust your stuff. Trust yourself,’” Weems said.
Keibert Ruiz tied it for Washington in the eighth with a solo homer to right field off Paul Sewald, his ninth of the season.
Hernández gave Seattle an early lead with a two-run shot to right in the first. It was his sixth homer of the month and 15th this season.
Washington’s Jeimer Candelario scored from first base on an errant pickoff throw in the first and had an RBI double in the fifth. García had a sacrifice fly in the seventh that made it 3-3.
ROOKIE STARTERS
Washington rookie Jake Irvin pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits in his 10th career start.
Seattle rookie Bryan Woo allowed two runs — one earned — over five innings in his fifth career start. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out seven.
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