Offense's 2 big innings, Tetreault's 6 strong key win

ARLINGTON -- Nelson Cruz made a point after Saturday’s loss that hitting comes and goes. The Nats’ offense had been quiet -- well, not so much quiet as low-scoring -- through its road trip to Baltimore and Texas, averaging six hits and 1.8 runs per game heading into the series finale against the Rangers on Sunday.

With the team struggling to drive in runs as of late, Washington plating six runs in the first two innings of Sunday’s game almost warranted a record scratch moment: how did that happen?

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To say the least, and to no surprise, it was Nos. 2-4 hitters -- Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Cruz -- who did the damage. The trio went a combined 5-for-5 with a walk and a double in that two-inning window, leading to three runs in the first inning and another three scored with two outs in the second inning.

The aggressive start was just the insurance Washington needed to secure the series in a 6-4 win on Sunday at Globe Life Field.

Emphasis on insurance.

The offense didn’t produce much after the Rangers pulled starter Glenn Otto. Soto, however, did reach base in all five of his plate appearances with a single and four walks.

Overall, though, the Nationals managed four hits throughout the rest of the game, so things weren’t looking too good when the Rangers rallied to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning.

“We started chasing it a lot,” manager Dave Martinez said. “Sometimes that’s how the game goes. … But, I thought, you know, us coming out today after yesterday and scoring early was awesome.”

The six-run cushion made things easier for starter Jackson Tetreault, who turned in six-plus innings on the way to his second win of the season. Tetreault said he’s been feeling more comfortable on the mound after getting his Major League debut out of the way.

So comfortable that he tried to hang on to the ball when Martinez came out to pull him from the game in the seventh inning.

“Every time I go out there, I'm expecting to win," Tetreault said. "I believe I deserve to be up here, and I belong up here. So whenever I go out there, I'm just trying to compete for the team and trying to win for the team. That's really my mentality every time I'm out there, and I'm super grateful every time [Martinez] hands me the ball and sends me out there."

Tetreault has picked up wins in both of his starts after losing his debut on June 14. On Sunday, he allowed one run off four hits. The lone run was scored after he exited the game.

“This kid comes up here and he’s very much under control, he’s got a good idea of what he wants to do and he works every day,” Martinez said.

Washington’s starting rotation was dominant throughout the entire series. And with what Tetreault did Sunday in his first road start, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

“He’s gonna stay. He’s gonna get an opportunity to pitch every five days and we’ll see where we go,” Martinez said.