CJ Abrams making difference for Nationals against Diamondbacks

CJ Abrams making difference for Nationals against Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks will try to subdue All-Star CJ Abrams and the host Washington Nationals in the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon.

Abrams finished a triple short of the cycle and drove in three runs in Washington's 5-3 win on Saturday. The Diamondbacks hold the third and final wild-card spot in the National League, while the Nationals are two games back.

"Definitely enjoying (the pressure)," said Abrams, who is batting .293 this season, with 25 homers and 79 RBIs. "It's exciting. We've done a great job coming up to this point, we're playing good baseball, so we look to continue to do that."

Arizona rookie left-hander Kohl Drake (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will oppose veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas (3-7, 5.60) in the finale.

Drake, acquired from the Texas Rangers last July in the Merrill Kelly trade, is coming off an impressive major league debut. Against the visiting Athletics on Tuesday, he pitched five innings, allowing a run on four hits in Arizona's 6-5 win in 10 innings. Drake struck out five and walked two.

"Five innings, one earned run, I'd take that any day of the week," he said.

Mikolas has followed an opener in his past two outings and could do so again on Sunday. On Tuesday, he entered in the second inning against the host Colorado Rockies and gave up three runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings in his team's 8-7 loss. In his previous appearance, he had tossed four scoreless innings against the New York Yankees.

Mikolas is 3-3 with a 3.79 ERA in eight games (six starts) vs. the Diamondbacks.

On Saturday, Abrams provided a two-run double in the third inning, a solo homer in the fifth and later added a single and stole a base. He has 17 stolen bases and a career-high 25 home runs in 101 games this season. He leads the major leagues with 79 RBIs, another career high.

Abrams and fellow All-Star teammate James Wood (28 home runs, 15 stolen bases) became the second duo in major league history to record 25-plus home runs and 15-plus stolen bases in their club's first 105 games of the season.

Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez accomplished the feat for Cleveland in 2018.

"The leadership that they have in the clubhouse with how well they're connected with all the guys, and then going out there and performing, it just takes it to another level," Nationals manager Blake Butera said of Abrams and Wood.

Tim Tawa had two hits and Gabriel Moreno had a two-run single Saturday for the Diamondbacks, who had won four straight games.

Manager Tory Luvollo shook up the top of his lineup, moving Ketel Marte (who leads the team with 18 home runs) into the cleanup spot. Arizona was held to three runs for the second game in a row, and the top four hitters in the order (Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo, Moreno and Marte) went 1-for-14 against Nationals ace Foster Griffin and two relievers.

"I'll take those top four guys up against anybody. I think we can pound the baseball no matter who's up on the mound," Lovullo said. "Overall, I believe in this team's ability to go out there and score five, seven runs every single night. That's what we need to get to."

After starter Mitch Bratt departed, the bullpen kept the Diamondbacks within striking distance by providing three scoreless innings for the second game in a row.

The Nationals traded infielder Curtis Mead, 25, to the Boston Red Sox for rookie left-hander Connelly Early, 24, on Saturday night. Early hasn't pitched since June 30 and went on the injured list July 1 due to left elbow inflammation. The starting pitcher is expected to return in August.

Early is 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 17 games (all starts) over 91 2/3 innings this season, while Mead is batting .254 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs in 87 games.

--Field Level Media