Tough Start for the Nats 
The Nationals couldn't get off to the start we hoped for, struggling both offensively and defensively against the Tampa Bay Rays. In the top of the 2nd inning, the Rays took advantage of a throwing error by our third baseman Brady House, leading to the first run. Things went from bad to worse when Brandon Lowe hit a homer to put the Rays up 6-0. Our bats seemed asleep with James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Riley Adams all striking out in the first inning. Ouch! 
A Glimmer of Hope 
In the bottom of the 3rd, we finally got on the board when Brady House singled, followed by a double from Jacob Young to bring him home, making it 7-1. Brady House and Jacob Young put some life into the game again in the 4th inning. House nailed a single to bring in Andres Chaparro and Dylan Crews, narrowing the score to 7-4. But, despite an effort to mount a comeback, the Nats couldn't fully close the gap.Final Push Falls Short 
Our bullpen tightened things up with Beeter, Ogasawara, and Ferrer giving solid relief performances. Daylen Lile tried to inject some last-minute energy with singles in the 7th and 9th innings, but our momentum wasn't enough to catch the Rays. Luis Garcia Jr. replaced Paul DeJong and struck out; it just wasn't in our favor today. With a final score of 7-4, this one goes to the Rays. Keep the faith, fellow fans! We'll get them next time! Let's go Nats! 
Scoreboard for Rays @ Nationals (August 31st, 2025)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 2 |