Corbin's quality start another plus for Nats

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Nationals hope their weekend series at Target Field, while frigid, gives them something to build on for the rest of the season.

Washington fell short in Sunday afternoon’s 3-1 finale loss. But the Nats had already secured their first series win of the year, while the offense found some rhythm and left-hander Patrick Corbin supplied another strong start.

“Absolutely,” manager Dave Martinez said of the series being a significant step for his team. “The guys played hard and they played hard today. To come out here and [the Twins] have been playing well, to win two out of three with a day off coming up tomorrow, it feels good. So, let’s kind of rest up a little bit again and get back after it Tuesday.”

After having outscored Minnesota, 13-6, in winning the first two games of the weekend set, Washington mustered just three hits against Twins spot starter Bailey Ober in the finale. However, Corbin earned his second straight quality start.

Corbin (1-3) gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out six batters. He lowered his ERA to 5.88 and has given up five runs in his last 14 innings.

“I think overall, I did a good job,” Corbin said. “A couple of mistakes that they hit the two solo homers [Jorge Polanco and Michael A. Taylor in the fourth inning] on. But I thought other than that, they made some weak contact. I made some good pitches.

“Slider felt pretty good today. I was hoping to get this sweep done today, but just overall, I thought it was all right.”

The Nationals scored first as two first-inning walks were followed by Keibert Ruiz’s double to left field that made it a 1-0 game.

Washington also had a chance in the fifth inning.

CJ Abrams led off with a single, but Victor Robles’ sacrifice bunt attempt went awry. The ball landed right in front of home plate and Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers alertly spun and threw to second to get Abrams, while Carlos Correa’s throw to first completed a double play when Robles didn’t run hard out of the box.

“In that situation, you bunt the ball, you got to run,” Martinez said. “You got to hear the umpire call foul ball. You can’t assume it’s a foul ball. He’s just got to run. I don’t know how many times I’ve got to tell him, you know. He’s not an umpire. He’s got to run hard to first base.”

Robles thought the ball was foul.

“I got confused myself with that play,” Robles said through interpreter Octavio Martinez. “I just assumed it was a foul ball.”

Robles did make a nifty play in the eighth inning, throwing a runner out at first base from deep center field on a flyout. Minnesota baserunner Willi Castro slid into second base with Nationals second baseman Luis García pretending to take a throw. Robles had enough time to throw the ball all the way to first to record the out.

“The play is actually thanks to my teammates,” Robles said. “They gave me the heads-up early enough to be able to make it and they were yelling at me, communicating.”

Corbin’s outing was undone by two mistakes, each leading to home runs in the fourth inning. Polanco turned on a pitch and hit it off the left-field foul pole. Three batters later, former Nats outfielder Michael A. Taylor hit a Statcast-projected 444-foot homer to the bullpen in left-center field.

“I thought we got ahead inside, away as well, some good backdoor breaking balls, good sliders to finish them,” Corbin said. “I think overall, I’m pleased with it, just try to continue to work on a couple things. Like I said, a couple mistakes for those homers. But other than that, I thought I made some good pitches, got some weak contact.”

Corbin’s control was improved and he’s walked just two batters over his past two starts. He issued three walks in two of his first three starts.

“For me, it’s pounding the strike zone, keeping the ball down,” Martinez said of Corbin’s recent work. “We worked really hard with him towards the end of last year and all the way along just to get the ball down. When he throws the ball down, his stuff is really good.”