Daylen Lile tripled during a four-run eighth inning as the Washington Nationals rallied to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.
Jacob Young delivered the go-ahead double, while Dylan Crews added an RBI single during Washington’s decisive rally. The Nationals overcame a two-run deficit after Los Angeles had taken a 4-2 lead in the top of the eighth.
The loss dropped the Angels to 56-93 with 13 games remaining. Los Angeles must win at least seven of those games to avoid the first 100-loss season in franchise history.
Angels Move Ahead in Eighth
Los Angeles entered the eighth inning with the game tied 2-2 and created an opportunity to take control.
Nationals reliever Erik Tolman threw a run-scoring wild pitch that put the Angels ahead. Moisés Ballesteros then added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 4-2.
The two-run advantage put Los Angeles in position to avoid a sweep and finish its trip to Washington with a win.
The Nationals responded immediately.
Washington had struggled all season when trailing after seven innings. The club entered Sunday with only two wins in 62 such games.
That record improved after a four-run rally against the Angels bullpen.
Lile Sparks Washington Comeback
Yohandy Morales opened the bottom of the eighth with a single against Luke Murphy.
Lile followed with a triple, driving in Morales and cutting the Angels’ lead to 4-3.
The Nationals kept applying pressure.
Pinch-hitter Jorbit Vivas delivered an RBI single to bring Lile home and tie the game at 4-4.
Young then doubled to put Washington ahead for the first time in the inning. His go-ahead hit ended Murphy’s appearance.
Crews provided another important run later in the frame. With two outs, he hit an RBI single to extend Washington’s advantage to 6-4.
The Nationals had turned a two-run deficit into a two-run lead in one inning.
Murphy took the loss and fell to 0-3.
Angels Make Final Push in Ninth
Los Angeles still had one opportunity to respond.
Jack Sinclair took the mound for Washington in the ninth with a chance to record his first professional save.
The Angels managed to cut the deficit in half.
Christian Moore brought home a run with a groundout, making it 6-5.
Sinclair prevented Los Angeles from completing the comeback and closed the game to secure the save.
The result gave Washington its first sweep of the Angels.
It also marked a rare comeback for the Nationals. Washington improved to 3-61 this season when trailing after seven innings.
Ballesteros and Neto Supply Power
Los Angeles received home runs from Ballesteros and Zach Neto earlier in the game.
Both players hit solo shots.
Neto’s homer was his 26th of the season, matching his career high.
Ballesteros also contributed later with his eighth-inning sacrifice fly. His homer and sacrifice fly helped the Angels build the 4-2 advantage they carried into the bottom of the eighth.
The offense produced five runs overall, but the late bullpen problems erased the lead.
Washington’s eighth inning proved decisive. Morales started the rally, and four different Nationals contributed to the scoring sequence.
Lile’s triple created the first run. Vivas tied the game, Young put Washington ahead and Crews supplied the final insurance run.
That extra run became important when Moore’s groundout brought Los Angeles within one in the ninth.
Angels Face 100-Loss Possibility
Sunday’s loss left the Angels with little margin over the final weeks of the season.
Los Angeles is 56-93 and has 13 games remaining.
The Angels need at least seven more wins to finish with 99 losses or fewer. A 6-7 finish or worse would give the franchise its first 100-loss season.
The defeat was especially difficult because Los Angeles carried a two-run lead into the bottom of the eighth.
After the Angels moved ahead 4-2, they needed six outs to avoid the sweep.
Instead, Washington produced four runs before the inning ended.
The Nationals had rarely completed that type of comeback this season. They entered the game with a 2-61 record when trailing after seven innings.
Sunday’s rally changed that mark to 3-61 and gave Washington a three-game sweep.
Nationals Complete First Sweep of Angels
Washington finished the series by overcoming a late deficit rather than protecting an early lead.
The Nationals needed contributions throughout the lineup in the eighth.
Morales provided the leadoff single. Lile followed with the biggest extra-base hit of the inning, and Vivas came off the bench to tie the score.
Young then supplied the go-ahead double before Crews drove home another run with two outs.
Sinclair finished the job in the ninth despite allowing the Angels to score once.
For Los Angeles, the loss wasted the production of Ballesteros and Neto. Both homered, and Ballesteros also drove in a run during the eighth-inning rally that briefly gave the Angels control.
The Angels now return home with 13 games left to avoid reaching 100 losses for the first time.
Up Next
Los Angeles opens a home series against Seattle on Monday.
Angels left-hander Reid Detmers is scheduled to start with a 5-8 record and a 3.32 ERA. Seattle will counter with left-hander Kade Anderson, who enters at 1-1 with a 4.29 ERA.
Washington has Monday off before beginning a home series against Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Nationals left-hander Jackson Kent is scheduled to face Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez. Kent enters at 1-4 with a 6.59 ERA, while Sánchez is 17-5 with a 2.79 ERA.