Abrams, Dickerson spark rally in Nationals win over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — CJ Abrams hit a two-run double in Washington's four-run sixth inning, Corey Dickerson got his 1,000th career hit and the Washington Nationals defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Saturday.

Dickerson sparked the Nationals’ big inning with his milestone hit on an RBI double. He became the 12th player to reach the milestone in a Nationals uniform and the first since Brian Dozier in 2019.

“With how much failure there is in this game, getting 1,000 is cool,” Dickerson said. “We just keep grinding as a team and trust each other which helped us rally like we did.”

After Josiah Gray gave up two runs and four hits in four innings, Mason Thompson (3-2), Carl Edwards Jr., Hunter Harvey and Kyle Finnegan held the Royals scoreless — with Finnegan earning his 11th save of the season.

The Nationals have scored a combined 12 runs in the sixth inning through the first two games of the three-game series.

“The sixth inning in this series has been good for us,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We got a big hit by (Dickerson) to break the ice, and then we started hitting the ball and staying in the middle of the field.”

Washington's Lane Thomas hit a double in the fifth to extend his on-base streak to a career-high 23 straight games.

Brady Singer tossed five innings and gave up two runs and four hits with six strikeouts and three walks. He was sent out for the sixth with the Royals holding a 2-0 lead, but gave up back-to-back hits, including Dickerson's RBI double. Josh Taylor (1-3) came in and allowed two runs and three hits with a walk without recording an out.

″(Singer) was good, but he battled his command a little bit,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He was pretty efficient in the early going when he worked around those walks, but he gave us five solid innings. ... I thought Brady was in control (in the sixth inning). He had the weapons to get their hitters out.”

Salvador Perez hit a first-pitch slider 382 feet in the third for his 12th home run of the season to give Kansas City a 2-0 lead after Nick Pratto scored from third on a wild pitch in the first.

Kansas City dropped to a 3-14-0 in series this season and fell to 1-8-0 at Kauffman Stadium.

ROSTER MOVES

Royals: Kansas City requested the unconditional release waivers on INF/OF Hunter Dozier. The 31-year-old was designated for assignment on May 22.

UP NEXT

LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 3.88 ERA) will take the mound for the Nationals on Sunday. LHP Daniel Lynch will make season debut for Kansas City.

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