Gray’s redemption and Thomas’ career night snap Nats’ losing streak (updated)

CINCINNATI – Josiah Gray was upset with himself a little over a week ago. In his first start against the Dodgers, the team that traded him and Keibert Ruiz to the Nationals for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner last summer, he let his emotions get the best of him and allowed seven runs in three innings.

He didn’t want it to happen again and was looking forward to facing the Reds, the team that drafted him in the second round in 2018 and traded him to the Dodgers that December.

“I'm looking forward to facing the Dodgers again, facing the Reds whenever we face them, and going out there and just giving it my all and kind of just trying to put it to them,” Gray said after losing to the Dodgers last week.

That opportunity to face the Reds arrived tonight, and Gray fared much better this time against a former club while helping the Nats win 8-5 to snap a four-game losing streak in front of 19,032 at Great American Ball Park.

Gray effectively used his four-seamer and slider to work through the Reds lineup. He finished an impressive six innings with two hits, two runs (one earned), three walks, nine strikeouts, one home run and one wild pitch on 91 pitches, 51 strikes. A fantastic return to Cincinnati for the 24-year-old.

“I felt great. I had control of my body," Gray said after the game. "I felt like my pitches were doing exactly what I needed them to do. And just felt completely confident out there. Just not letting one pitch take away from my whole outing. And so I felt really good and felt really confident out there.”

That one pitch that scored the two runs with Gray on the mound could have been avoided, however. Luis García’s throwing error – his second in as many nights at shortstop – allowed Brandon Drury to reach as the second batter of the game. That set up Tommy Pham’s two-run home run on Gray’s very next pitch, a 94.9 mph slider right over the plate. Victor Robles actually had a play on the ball at the wall in center field, but it bounced out of his glove and over the fence to give the Reds an early 2-0 lead.

“He hit it and then it went over the fence," Gray said. "And then I just didn't let that overtake my game. I knew I had to get the team in a position to win and not let that overtake my confidence or my mentality to go out there and compete. So hats off to him, he hit a good pitch and move on to the next hitter.”

Gray settled in after that and shoved against the team that drafted him, the type of performance he was looking for after not producing against the Dodgers. His fastball topped off at 96.1 mph and he induced 11 swings and misses, 10 of which came on his off-speed stuff.

“Yeah, definitely wasn't as overtaking as facing the Dodgers," Gray said of facing the Reds for the first time. "I just wanted to go out there and put the team in a good position to win. So obviously, the first inning was a little bit shaky. But knowing that I can go out there and prove myself and have a good outing for the team and have, I guess, their front office kind of think twice about what they did a few years ago. So I felt good to go out there and give the team a good outing and be able to do that as well.”

He felt so strongly about his outing, he wanted to go back out for the seventh inning. But manager Davey Martinez didn't let him after the had a long top of the frame as the Nats scored two runs and kept Gray in the dugout for an extended period of time.

"We thought about sending him out for the seventh inning," Martinez said. "The inning got long and I didn't want to do that. I wanted to keep him right where he is. But he wanted to go back out. And he tried to talk me into it. But I said, 'Hey, that's plenty.' I said, 'I'm not gonna let you sit here for 20 minutes and then send you back.' But he'll be ready in five days."

“Oh, yeah, I really want to go back out there," Gray said. "One, knowing that I don't think I've gotten an out in the seventh in my career yet. And also, I felt like I was in control of the game. And obviously, I understand. The conversation we had, me and him, and then myself and (pitching coach) Jim Hickey. But yeah, obviously, the competitor in myself, I knew I was throwing the ball well. Wanted to go out there for the seventh, at least for an out.”

And wouldn’t you know it, the offense finally woke up to provide some run support. After being outscored 36-6 in four straight losses to start this road trip, the bats came out swinging and producing, early and often.

“A swinging bat is a dangerous bat,” Martinez said after last night’s 8-1 loss.

The dangerous bats were all aboard the Lane Thomas train as the young outfielder paced the Nationals offense with three home runs and four RBIs, his first career multi-homer game and his most RBIs in a single game as a National. All three homers went to the pull side on consecutive at-bats in the third, fifth and seventh innings.

“Yeah, definitely a first time," Thomas said of his three-homer feat. "I'm just glad we got the win and they actually mattered. So it was good.”

The last National to hit three homers in a game was Kyle Schwarber, on June 20, 2021 against the Mets, part of his tear through that month. Thomas joined Schwarber, Anthony Rendon (April 30, 2017 against the Mets), Bryce Harper (May 6, 2015 against the Marlins), Ryan Zimmermann (May 29, 2013 against the Orioles), Adam Dunn (July 7, 2010 against the Padres) and Alfonso Soriano (April 21, 2006 against the Braves) as the only Nationals to have three-homer games. His also came against three different pitchers.

“I know I'd hit three fastballs, so it's kind of like, he's gonna throw a couple of sliders," Thomas said of his final AB against a fourth different pitcher. "And just didn't do anything with them, but I tried.”

“It's tough to get three different pitchers and hit the ball like he did," Martinez said. "But he had a great night. So needless to say, he'll be batting second tomorrow. But he deserved that.”

Thomas went for his fourth in the top of the eighth, but a loud swing turned into a routine fly ball to center. A disappointment, considering what he had done in his previous three at-bats.

“I think at that point it's like you're just kind of thinking about are you gonna try it another one?" Thomas said. "And then I didn't. But it's all right. I tried.”

Thomas also enjoyed having some family members in attendance for his big night at the plate.

“My dad, my older sister, and then my little niece, and then my fiancé, and then one of my dad's best friends," he said. "So yeah, it was a good night.”

The young outfielder also seems to have a lot of success hitting in National League Central parks. Coincidence, or is that from his time with the Cardinals?

“I don't know, man. That's a tough question," Thomas said. "I think it's just maybe I've played here before and see it well. I know what to expect from the place, a little more comfortable. So I think that's probably the biggest thing.”

Nelson Cruz started the scoring with a leadoff homer in the second to cut the Reds’ quick 2-0 lead in half. Then after a César Hernández RBI single in the third, Thomas and Juan Soto hit back-to-back homers to make it a 5-2 Nationals lead in the blink of an eye.

Thomas’ next two homers made it 7-2 by the seventh inning, and Maikel Franco’s RBI single capped the scoring for the Nats.

"I thought it was a good night for the team, too," Thomas said. "Scoring some runs. ... So just glad it was a good night for everybody."

Victor Arano ran into trouble in the eighth to give the Reds a glimmer of hope. Only recording one out via strikeout, Arano gave up back-to-back hits and served up a three-run home run to Joey Votto, his second in as many nights. All of a sudden, it was an 8-5 game.

No matter, because Kyle Finnegan and Tanner Rainey came in to record the game’s final five outs and seal the win.

All in all, the Nats recorded eight runs and 12 hits while going 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Add that to Gray’s strong line and it was a quality night for the ballclub. Something we haven’t seen this week.

“Tonight was way better," Martinez said. "Tonight they came out and they swung the bats, they swung at strikes. So it was good to see. So hopefully, we'll continue to do that. Like I said, before those last four days, we've been swinging the bats well. Today we swung the bats well. So let's continue to do that tomorrow.”

* Meanwhile, down on the farm, Stephen Strasburg made his third rehab start, this one with Triple-A Rochester. And the veteran dominated.

After starting with 5 2/3 hitless innings, the right-hander finished with six innings, one hit, no runs, one walk and four strikeouts on 83 pitches, 50 for strikes.

An impressive outing that surely caught the attention of the major league coaching staff. Will it be enough to convince them his next start should come with the Nationals?

“He did well, six innings, 83 pitches, one hit, four strikeouts," Martinez said. "So he threw the ball well. We're gonna try to get him back here tomorrow and re-evaluate. He's got a routine he does. He'll throw his bullpen and then we'll see where he's at. I'm gonna have a conversation with him when he comes back. And we'll see. But that's great news for us, that he's reached that pinnacle where he's up at six innings, 83 pitches. So we'll see what happens next.”