Drew Ward tied the game with a solo shot in the 8th while Andrew Stevenson plated the gamewinner with an opposite-field single in the 9th to give the Nats a 5-4 win over the Astros on Sunday afternoon.
Joe Ross got the start and looked sharp in four scoreless innings, with two hits and a walk allowed and four strikeouts. Bryce Harper homered for the fifth time while Adam Esaton went deep for the first time to lead the ten-hit attack.
Stevenson, who subbed for Eaton in CF in the 7th, finished the day at 1-for-2 as did Ward, who pinch-hit for Anthony Rendon and finished the game at 3B.
Here’s how the rest of the watchlisters fared:
• Rafael Bautista took over for Harper in the 7th but popped out to 1B in his only at-bat.
• Matt Skole replaced Ryan Zimmerman at 1B and flew out to CF in the 8th for an 0-for-1 game.
• Pedro Severino , singled in his second trip to the plate as the second catcher behind the plate (after Matt Wieters, who was 0-for-2 in his Nats debut) and was pinch-run for by Wilmer Difo, who scored on Stevenson’s single.
With the win, Washington returns to .500 at 7-7-2. The Nats remain at “home” with a matchup against the Tigers. Stephen Strasburg is expected to start, with the Nats radio team calling the game on MLB audio and 1580AM.