Castellanos, Martinez power Tigers past Nats
WASHINGTON -- Victor Martinez had four hits and drove in a run and Nick Castellanos had a two-run homer and reached base three times as the Detroit Tigers beat the Washington Nationals 5-4 on Tuesday to even the three-game Interleague Series.
The Tigers (15-17) snapped a seven-game losing streak while Washington (20-13) lost for the fifth time in six outings. The win overshadowed a two-homer game for Washington's Ryan Zimmerman, whose solo shot with two outs in the seventh cut the margin to 5-4 off reliever Drew VerHagen.
Justin Wilson of the Tigers came on to retire Daniel Murphy for the last out of the seventh. Alex Wilson pitched a scoreless eighth when slow-footed catcher Wilson Ramos was thrown out at the plate on an 8-6-2 relay, after a double by pinch-hitter Clint Robinson, for the final out of the frame. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his eighth save as he retired Murphy for the final out with two runners on base.
The Tigers had scored three runs in the sixth to take a lead of 5-3. James McCann had an RBI single, Andrew Romine drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice and pinch-hitter Miguel Cabrera had a single to drive in the third run of the frame.
Detroit starter Michael Fulmer (2-1) went five innings and allowed seven hits and three runs. He was lifted for pinch-hitter Cabrera in the top of the sixth.
Washington starter Joe Ross (3-2), who entered the game with an ERA of 1.23, allowed eight hits and five runs in six innings. Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon and Ramos also had two hits for the Nationals.
Ryan Zimmerman, after a two-out walk to Bryce Harper, hit a two-run homer to give Washington a 3-2 lead in the fifth off Fulmer. It was just the second homer of the year and first since April 19 for Zimmerman, who left 14 runners on base in Chicago on Sunday against the Cubs as Harper walked six times.
The Tigers had grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth as Nick Castellanos hit a two-run homer off Ross. His seventh homer of the year scored Martinez, who led off the inning with his second straight single.
Danny Espinosa had a one-out, bases loaded single to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead in the second. His liner to right scored Daniel Murphy, who has singled, taken single on a single to left by Jayson Werth and gone to third on a walk to Wilson Ramos.
Fulmer escaped more damage when he struck out pitcher Ross and got Ben Revere to ground out to end the frame.
NOTES: The Nationals announced before the game that they signed RHP Stephen Strasburg to a seven-year contract extension, with reports placing the deal at around $175 million. The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2009 out of San Diego State, Strasburg was set to become a free agent after this year. He is 5-0 with a 2.76 ERA in seven starts this year. "The city of D.C. has really grown on my family," Strasburg said Tuesday. "It was something that happened over time. They took care of me, not just as a pitcher but as a person. It seems like a great fit for me and my family. We are very excited to be here for some time." ... Detroit RHP Jordan Zimmermann (5-1, 1.10 ERA), who leads the American League in ERA, will face his former team on Wednesday when he goes up against Washington RHP Max Scherzer (3-2, 4.60), who played for the Tigers from 2010 to 2014. ... Playing in a National League park, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus gave 1B Miguel Cabrera the night off Tuesday with 1B Victor Martinez and 3B Nick Castellanos in the starting lineup. Martinez was not in the starting lineup on Monday and Ausmus plans to give Castellanos the night off Wednesday. Ausmus said Cabrera was fine after he jammed a knee sliding into second on Monday in the eighth inning. ... Washington 2B Daniel Murphy entered Tuesday as the National League leader in hitting at .398 and Castellanos was tops in the American League at .380.