The Washington Nationals handed the Detroit Tigers a 3-1 defeat at Comerica Park on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, with CJ Abrams doing the damage. The Nationals shortstop went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI, providing all the offense Washington needed. Drew Anderson took the loss after allowing all three earned runs over six innings. Jackson Kent earned the win out of Washington's bullpen, and Erik Tolman locked it down with a perfect ninth — striking out three — to secure the save. Detroit's offense never found a second gear.

CJ Abrams Powers Washington With Two-Homer Night

This one starts and ends with Abrams. The Nationals shortstop was the story from the first swing to the last, and his two home runs accounted for every Washington run on the board. There's no complicated narrative here — Abrams squared up Drew Anderson twice and made Detroit pay both times, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBI. Dylan Crews added a 2-for-4 effort of his own to keep pressure on the Tigers' pitching staff, though Washington's run total tells you exactly how much of that production converted.

Drew Anderson Takes the Loss Despite Solid Outing

Anderson's final line — six innings, five hits, three earned runs, zero walks, five strikeouts — is a tough one to absorb. The walks column is clean. The strikeout total is respectable. But Abrams' two home runs buried him, and in a 3-1 game, you don't get to survive those mistakes. Anderson gave Detroit every chance to keep it close; the Tigers just couldn't manufacture enough offense behind him to make his effort hold up.

Detroit's Bullpen Held, But the Damage Was Already Done

To their credit, the Tigers' relief corps was sharp after Anderson exited. Tyler Kinley threw a scoreless seventh — one inning, one strikeout, no hits, no walks. Brant Hurter followed with a clean eighth, striking out two in an inning that included just one hit. Beau Brieske handled the ninth on the mound, allowing one hit but no runs. Three scoreless innings from the bullpen is exactly what you want — it just arrived too late to matter in a game where Washington had already done its work.

Tigers' Offense Stranded Too Much

Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark were the bright spots in a quiet offensive night. McGonigle went 2-for-5, while Clark finished 2-for-4. Neither drove in a run. Detroit crossed the plate just once, and Washington's pitching — particularly the combination of Jackson Kent's four innings and Erik Tolman's three-strikeout ninth — kept the Tigers from mounting anything serious. Washington's bullpen carousel worked; Detroit's bats never found a rhythm against it.

Key Performances

  • CJ Abrams (WSH): 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI
  • Dylan Crews (WSH): 2-for-4
  • Kevin McGonigle (DET): 2-for-5
  • Max Clark (DET): 2-for-4
  • Drew Anderson (DET): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (L)
  • Jackson Kent (WSH): 4.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (W)
  • Erik Tolman (WSH): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (SV)

What's Next for the Tigers

Detroit needs a bounce-back performance. Losing a 3-1 game at Comerica Park in late September — one where your starter didn't walk a batter and your bullpen threw three scoreless innings — stings precisely because it felt winnable. The Tigers will need their lineup to string hits together and cash in when runners are on base. Another night of stranded baserunners won't get it done.