CINCINNATI — Lane Thomas hit his second homer of the game in the 10th inning to seal a 6-3 comeback win by the Washington Nationals over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Thomas’ two-run shot, his team-leading 18th of the season, came off Reds closer Alexis Díaz (3-3) and followed a run-scoring double by Jake Alu that broke a 3-3 tie.
A two-run homer by Joey Meneses off Reds starter Graham Ashcraft had tied the game in the eighth. The Reds had led since the first inning behind strong pitching from Ashcraft and three solo homers.
Nick Senzel and Matt McLain homered on back-to-back pitches from Nationals starter Patrick Corbin with one out in the first.
Then Elly De La Cruz rocketed a line drive into the left-field seats to put the Reds up 3-0 in the third. His ninth homer of the season was also the first one he’s hit from the right side of the plate.
The lead held up until the eighth when Thomas reached on an infield single and Meneses homered.
Ashcraft gave up three runs and five hits and struck out five in eight full innings, his longest outing of the season. Díaz got the Nats in order in the ninth but they got to him in the 10th.
Corbin allowed only four hits in 6 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. Andres Machado, who got two outs in the eighth, was credited with the win.
Kyle Finnegan got the Reds in order in the 10th inning for his 16th save.
McLain had three hits for the Reds.
UP AND DOWN
Blake Rutherford was promoted from Triple-A Rochester and made his major league debut, starting in left field and batting sixth for Washington. He was 0 for 4…. OF Corey Dickerson cleared unconditional release waivers and is now a free agent.
TRAINERS ROOM
Reds 2B Jonathan India (plantar faciitis) is expected to return on Tuesday. … RHP Teejay Antone, who missed the entire 2022 season after Tommy John surgery, could rejoin the team in late August.
UP NEXT
Reds rookie lefty Andrew Abbott (6-2, 1.90 ERA, 66 SO) faces a still to be determined Nationals starter on Saturday afternoon.
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