Rainey gave up a hit and struck out one in two-thirds of an inning Wednesday to record his first hold of the season in a win over the White Sox.
He entered the game in the sixth inning after Anibal Sanchez has served up a solo homer to Yoan Moncada and got the job done, fanning Eloy Jimenez to end the frame and keep the Nats' 2-1 lead intact. Rainey's been sharp since his promotion, posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 14:4 K:BB through eight innings, but as yet he isn't seeing many high-leverage opportunities. Given the shape of the team's setup crew in front of closer Sean Doolittle, though, that could change quickly if he continues shutting down the opposition.