WASHINGTON — The Detroit Tigers walked eight times on Sunday; it was the second time they’ve picked up that many free passes this season.
One problem: The Tigers failed to capitalize on all those walks, plus one hit-by-pitch, in Sunday’s 6-4 loss to the Washington Nationals in the finale of the three-game series at Nationals Park. The offense, producing six hits and eight walks, finished 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners.
“I think we could have somehow stopped the bleeding a little bit with their 18 hits,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Fourteen singles, two homers, two doubles. We made a couple of errors. We didn’t do enough with our at-bats with guys in scoring position, and they did. We tried to chip away, but we didn’t chip away enough.”
The Tigers (20-24) dropped back-to-back games to the Nationals, who entered the weekend series with the worst record in the National League.
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Left-hander Joey Wentz put the Tigers in an early deficit by allowing six runs on 10 hits and failing to record an out in the third inning. Eight of those hits were singles, while the other two hits were home runs from Riley Adams and Ildemaro Vargas.
“Obviously, I need to throw better,” Wentz said. “The last two (starts), both have been pretty poor. I think you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to get better. Next outing, I’ll try to go deep in the game and contribute to the team.”
The Nationals scored three runs in the first inning, one run in the second inning and two runs in the third inning.
“They ambushed Joey a little bit, and he couldn’t get the ball off the barrel enough,” Hinch said. “They weren’t trying to do too much. They’re not a team that empties the tank on every swing. Singles and contact helped them. … Credit to them for continuing to put the ball in play.”
Adams put the Nationals ahead, 4-0, with a solo home run off Wentz’s first-pitch changeup to start the bottom of the second inning. Vargas extended the advantage to 6-1 with a two-run homer off Wentz’s cutter in the third.
The homer from Vargas chased Wentz from his ninth start of the season.
The 25-year-old, whose ERA is 7.45 this season, struck out one batter and didn’t concede a walk, throwing 41 of 62 pitches for strikes. He tossed cutters and four-seamers at a 37.1% clip apiece, also utilizing 19.4% curveballs and 6.5% changeups.
Wentz hasn’t completed three innings since May 8.
“I gotta finish my curveball down, I gotta throw better changeups, and I gotta throw better fastballs,” Wentz said. “My confidence is fine. I don’t think mentally I shake too much. I think I’ve been poor the last two (starts), but confidence is still good.”
Gray’s day
Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray struggled to throw strikes.
But the Tigers didn’t take advantage.
Gray allowed one run on three hits and six walks with two strikeouts, tossing just 48 of 88 pitches for strikes. The Tigers worked one walk in the first inning, two walks in the second, two walks in the third and one walk in the fourth.
“It’s just sticking with my approach and knowing that I’ll probably get something in the (strike) zone eventually if I stick with my game plan,” said Akil Baddoo, who drew three walks. “I know me getting on base is as good as a single or anything else.”
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Gray escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth inning by retiring Jake Rogers (forceout), Zach McKinstry (popout) and Javier Báez (flyout). The Tigers scored their only run against him in the third inning, when Spencer Torkelson brought McKinstry home with a two-out single.
The Tigers were sent down in order for the first time in the fifth inning to conclude Gray’s 10th start of the season.
Nick Maton, who has shown improved plate appearances recently, hit a solo home run off a fastball from right-handed reliever Andres Machado in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 6-2. An RBI single from McKinstry made it 6-3, but the Tigers stranded the bases loaded (again) when Torkelson popped out.
A throwing error by Nationals first baseman Dominic Smith led to the Tigers’ fourth and final run, which occurred in the seventh inning despite the inability to produce a walk or a hit. Andy Ibáñez reached safely to start the seventh on a hit-by-pitch in the left shoulder, advanced to third on Smith’s errant throw to second to attempt to start a double play and came around to score on a fielder’s choice.
‘Pen pals
After the Nationals chased Wentz, right-handed reliever José Cisnero entered with no outs and the bases empty in the third inning. Back-to-back singles were followed by three consecutive outs — including two strikeouts — to keep the score at 6-1.
The rest of the Tigers’ bullpen followed in Cisnero’s footsteps.
“Our bullpen gave us a chance as we started to chip away,” Hinch said.
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Right-hander Mason Englert delivered 2⅔ scoreless innings with two strikeouts, then left-hander Tyler Alexander fired 1⅓ scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Englert threw 43 pitches, while Alexander tossed 16 pitches.
With the Tigers trailing by two runs, righty Jason Foley worked around back-to-back singles in the eighth inning. The Tigers were sent down in order in the top of the ninth to end the game.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.