All-Star Abrams' heroics lead Nationals to comeback win in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- Saturday started inauspiciously for the Nationals, who fell behind the Brewers by five runs in the first inning as starter Mitchell Parker struggled and was removed after recording only two outs.

But the Nationals never gave in, and when All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams turned on a 98.7 mph four-seam fastball from Milwaukee closer Trevor Megill in the ninth, Washington’s comeback was complete. Abrams’ two-run homer off of Megill powered the Nationals to a 6-5 win over the Brewers at American Family Field.

“You can either lay down or fight back,” Abrams said. “We do a good job of fighting back, and it’s not over until it’s over. We showed that.”

Abrams laid off a first-pitch knuckle curveball in the dirt. Megill then came back with a fastball at the letters and over the plate, and Abrams crushed it a Statcast-projected 416 feet with a 106.5 mph exit velocity.

He knew he got it off the bat, too. Abrams leaned back and momentarily watched the ball fly. He then took his bat in his left hand, stared into the Nationals’ dugout and tossed the bat in celebration.

“I looked straight in the dugout and everybody was lit,” Abrams said. “Just energy. I love it. … It’s for the team, scoring runs and winning games. They have my back, and I have theirs as well.”

Abrams’ big swing was one noteworthy moment in an eventful win. Here are a few others.

Parker’s short start
Parker has been a bright spot for Washington since he was promoted from Triple-A Rochester on April 15. The 24-year-old rookie entered Saturday with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 16 starts.

Manager Dave Martinez pulled Parker after he faced seven Milwaukee hitters, recorded only two outs and threw 46 pitches. Parker was charged with five runs on three hits (all doubles) and two walks.

“Everything felt good on my part today,” Parker said. “Just one of those days I couldn’t execute everything and got punished for it.”

Milwaukee fouled off 16 of Parker’s pitches, and four hitters (Joey Ortiz, Rhys Hoskins, Sal Frelick and Andruw Monasterio) had three-ball counts against him. Martinez said Parker’s rising pitch count was a factor in pulling him. Parker was nearly halfway to his season high of 100 pitches, which he threw on May 27 against Atlanta.

Bullpen delivers
Jordan Weems inherited two baserunners in immediate relief of Parker, and both scored when he allowed a single to Eric Haase. From that moment on, Washington’s bullpen was flawless.

Weems (1 2/3 innings), Jacob Barnes (2 2/3), Dylan Floro (two), Derek Law (one) and Kyle Finnegan (one) combined to allow three hits and four walks in 8 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out 10.

“Parker has thrown really well all year,” Barnes said. “Unfortunately, it’s a long year and those things happen. So, when we saw it happen, we were like, ‘All right, boys, here we go. We know what we’ve got to do.’ … In those situations, you try to pick up guys.”

Thomas’ save
Finnegan officially recorded the save on Saturday, but Lane Thomas unofficially earned one. He secured the win with a stellar leaping catch near the right-field wall in the bottom of the ninth.

Thomas hauled in a Statcast-projected 350-foot flyball hit by Ortiz, extending his glove back beyond his head to reel it in on the warning track. He celebrated by emphatically chucking the ball to second baseman Luis García Jr. -- whose own heroics included hitting a pinch-hit solo homer in the seventh and a leadoff single in the ninth before Abrams’ homer.

“You just kind of black out in those moments,” Thomas said of his celebration.

It was one of the many exciting moments in an afternoon full of resiliency for a young Nats team.

“That was an unbelievable win,” Martinez said. “The boys never quit.”