Call, Abrams homer off Kahnle and Nationals send Yanks to 10th loss in 11 games with 6-5 win

Updated Aug. 24, 2023 8:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Call hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Tommy Kahnle in the seventh inning, CJ Abrams followed with a solo shot and the Washington Nationals beat the Yankees 6-5 on Thursday to send New York to its 10th loss in 11 games.

A day after his first career three-homer game, Aaron Judge homered on his first pitch from Patrick Corbin (9-11). Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer in the third as the Yankees built a 3-1 lead.

Last-place New York (61-66) has not won consecutive games since Aug. 2-3 and is 1-11-3 in its last 15 series, losing seven straight rubber games.

Washington has won four straight series and nine of its last 12 games, at 59-69 tying the New York Mets for fourth in the NL East. The Nationals had held sole possession of last since before play on June 3.

The Nationals dedicated their 12th win when trailing after six innings to outfielder Stone Garrett, who fractured his left fibula attempting to catch DJ LeMahieu’s home run in the seventh inning Wednesday.

“What happened yesterday with Stone and they come back and do what we did and come back the way we did says a lot about these boys," Washington manager Dave Martinez said. "I know they really wanted to win today.”

Giancarlo Stanton had his first four-hit game since May 4, 2021. He homered in the eighth off Jordan Weems and hit an RBI single off Kyle Finnegan in the ninth before Harrison Bader, batting in the rain, hit a game-ending flyout to a stumbling Call on the center-field warning track.

“You can’t really tell how hard he hit it,” Call said of the final out. “He hit it decent and it was going to be a little bit of a ways for me to run, but then to catch it and win the game -– pretty exciting.”

New York dropped to 30-4, including the playoffs, when Judge and Stanton both homer.

Kahnle (1-3) also gave up Jake Alu’s RBI single on a hard grounder off the glove of rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe, pulling the Nationals to 3-2. Call and Abrams followed with the consecutive homers off Kahnle’s changeup. Abrams stood at the plate and admired his no-doubt drive to right before flipping his bat.

“It was hype,” Abrams said of his reaction to the homer. “Looking in the dugout at the team trying to get everybody positive vibes. I fed off of Alex’s home run.”

Kahnle has allowed eight of nine inherited runners to score. He gave up a tiebreaking home run to Abrams in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s series opener.

“It seems like I’m missing middle a lot, so I need to kind of go back and regroup and figure what I’m doing wrong,” said Kahnle, who has a 6.14 ERA in 17 appearances since the All-Star break.

Joey Meneses boosted the lead to 6-4 in the ninth with an RBI infield single off Clay Holmes when the reliever could not field the ball on the wet field.

New York rookie Everson Pereira doubled in the eighth for his first hit after an 0-for-11 start.

Corbin allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings to win his third straight decision.

Finnegan got four outs for his 23rd save in 30 chances.

“That was a gut-check outing,” Finnegan said.

Judge’s 28th home run of the season was his fourth in five at-bats and eighth in 14 games since Aug. 8. Volpe’s error on Meneses’ grounder allowed the tying run in the second but Torres hit a two-run homer in the third and reached 20 home runs for the fourth time.

Michael King, moved into the rotation, allowed one hit and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. throwing 50 pitches.

TECH SUPPORT

New York RHP Jhony Brito was called for a pitch clock violation entered in the fifth without a PitchCom device and had to get one from the dugout. On Friday he was unable to use it because it was not working for the Red Sox.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: SS Jeter Downs was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to replace Garrett. ... C Keibert Ruiz was held out of the lineup because he was feeling lightheaded after taking a foul ball off his mask Wednesday.

Yankees: 1B Anthony Rizzo (concussion) took batting practice on the field for the second straight day. … OF Greg Allen, designated for assignment Tuesday, elected free agency instead of accepting his assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.

UP NEXT

Nationals: RHP Joan Adon (1-0, 7.00) opposes LHP Braxton Garrett (7-4, 3.94) Friday in Miami.

Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (10-4, 3.03) starts against Tampa Bay RHP Zach Eflin (13-7, 3.58) in the opener a 10-game trip Friday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb