Jake Irvin and the Washington Nationals beat the Tampa Bay Rays to end a four-game losing streak

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jake Irvin pitched six efficient innings, CJ Abrams hit a leadoff home run and the Washington Nationals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 on Saturday, stopping a four-game skid.

Irvin (6-6) allowed one hit – Brandon Lowe’s first-inning home run – struck out five and walked three. The right-hander has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 12 of his last 15 starts.

Derek Law, Hunter Harvey and Kyle Finnegan each had three outs for the Nationals, completing a two-hitter.

Abrams hit his third home run of the season. He also hit a double off Shawn Armstrong in Washington’s six-run seventh inning.

Harold Ramirez, who was released by Tampa Bay on June 13 and signed with Washington two days later, hit a two-run triple in the seventh inning of his first game against his former team.

The Rays fell back to .500 at 41-42. Tampa Bay hasn’t been above .500 since May 21.

Yandy Diaz went 0 for 4, snapping his Tampa Bay-record 20-game hitting streak. He hit a 109-mph straight line drive to first base in the eighth inning.

The Nationals took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a nifty goal by Luis García Jr. He rushed home on a wild pitch from Aaron Civale (2-6) that ended up in front of the plate.

Just after hitting what should have been a catchable foul ball that got stuck on an overhanging catwalk, Lowe tied it at 1 with his sixth homer. He had been limited to just one hit at bat since breaking his right pinky on June 22.

Civale extended his winless streak to 14. The right-hander issued four walks while allowing two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Nationals: OF Jesse Winker, who left Friday’s game in the first inning after injuring his knee while tripping and falling hard to make a catch, started and hit an RBI single in the seventh.

FOLLOWING

Nationals left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin (1-7, 5.46 ERA) and Rays right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley (2-4, 3.81 ERA) are Sunday’s starters.

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