Nationals lose winnable game to Blue Jays, drop series

Jacob Young stood in center field with both hands on his knees. Right-hander Paxton Schultz had a mound visit with catcher Harry Ford after Young couldn’t make a sliding grab to end the eighth inning with no damage inflicted.

Instead, two runners scored and Schultz went on to surrender an RBI single to George Springer that allowed Toronto to take control of Wednesday’s game, a 5-2 loss for Washington.

The Nationals’ defense was far from sharp. The offense also never found a rhythm, going 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Young’s failed attempt in the eighth and Daylen Lile’s inability to make a sliding grab in left field in the sixth, leading to a two-out RBI double for Ernie Clement, were small moments that led to runs. Schultz’s three runs spoiled an afternoon when the Nationals’ pitching staff was effective while the offense was searching for answers against Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage.

Manager Blake Butera said the bloop eighth-inning hit stood out because of the separation it allowed Toronto to create.

“Just a perfectly placed ball,” Butera said. “Same with the one down the left-field line that just kept moving on Daylen that he just couldn’t quite get to. It felt like we just were just out of reach on a couple big plays there.”

Given the unreliability of starters not named Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli, and most of the bullpen, the Nationals will be kicking themselves for losing Wednesday’s winnable game.

Before Tuesday’s game, Butera was asked if he has been surprised by the offense’s potency. He said he wasn’t shocked — James Wood’s and CJ Abrams’ talent was evident early in spring training. Their star power, combined with the emergence of Curtis Mead and Luis García Jr., turned the Nationals into one of the best stories of the first half. To truly be a threat, they needed to shore up one area of the roster.

“I’ve said from the beginning, I think, if our pitching is just decent, we’re going to have a shot at this thing,” Butera said.

They received sufficient pitching Wednesday. Zack Littell threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on four hits with three walks. It wasn’t pretty, but Littell was effective. He leaned on the splitter, throwing it 21 times for his second-most-used pitch, landing it in the strike zone 52% of the time.

He said being convicted in the pitch was key.

“Sometimes it’s a conscious effort to just believe that it’s going to be the right pitch,” Littell said. “So, the last few [games], I’ve definitely tried to just reach for it more. Traditionally it’s been my best pitch for three years now. So, standing on that pitch and recognizing that it’s going to produce the results we want, I think that’s kind of what it comes down to.”

Right-hander Max Kranick replaced Littell in the fifth with runners on first and second and escaped the jam after getting Kazuma Okamoto to line out to left field.

In the sixth, Kranick allowed a leadoff walk to Springer before recording back-to-back outs. But, with a runner on second, Kranick allowed the double to Clement that tied the game at 1.

Toronto took a one-run lead in the seventh after right-hander Orlando Ribalta allowed three singles. But the pitching staff delivered an overall successful performance, giving the offense more than enough time to find its stride.

“This lineup, as long as you keep us within four or five runs, we’re always in the game,” Littell said. “Toronto uses the back end of their lineup the same way that we do. They got some platoon bats in there, and so it goes into what I was just talking about like situationally [and] recognizing the guys that are better matchups for you, especially in certain situations.

“But I thought Ribalta also pitched extremely well. He gets three of the sh--est hits all day, pushed a run across. Our goal is to make new pitches and see where that puts us, and sometimes doesn’t go our way.”

Yesavage held the Nationals to one run on three hits over 6 2/3 innings. His high arm slot makes it difficult for opposing hitters. That’s why those bloop hits falling for runs were so significant.

“It’s a little deflating for sure, but I mean you just got to stick with [the pitching staff],” Wood said. “Guys are going out there making good pitches, doing what we ask of them, getting soft contact. Eventually it’ll just start going the right way.”

The Nationals’ best shot at a comeback came in the eighth, when they had the bases loaded with one out against All-Star reliever Louis Varland. Lile struck out on three pitches, and Young hit a pop-up to center field.

The team isn’t making these games bigger than they are, despite playoff implications. That relaxed approach stems from the belief in the talent on the roster. Littell credited the team’s ability to compartmentalize. That perspective is pertinent with the trade deadline nearing and a packed August schedule approaching.

“There’s still so much baseball to play,” Littell said. “No matter what happens over this next week — obviously we want to come out of this with two series wins — but no matter what happens, this team has showed the ability to be resilient and come back and win games.”

This article has been updated.