CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 4 - The Washington Nationals defeated the Cincinnati Reds in today's rainy rubber match on the road by a score of 4-1. An amazing MacKenzie Gore start coupled with some late offense carried the Nationals to the series win.

Gore took the bump and delivered yet another stellar performance on the mound, as he proved why he is the ace of the Nationals' pitching staff with five innings of one-run ball. Despite issuing four walks, Gore struck out nine Reds hitters and allowed just four hits, effortlessly using his ability to navigate through traffic and maintain composure under pressure and bad weather. His only blemish came in the second inning when Tyler Stephenson launched a solo home run to tie the game. The bullpen followed suit with Jorge López tossing two perfect innings, earning his fourth win of the season. Jose A. Ferrer held it over, and Kyle Finnegan then closed the door in the ninth, securing his 99th career save and shutting it down for the win.

Offensively, the Nationals scored early with a sac-fly in the second, but broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning, sparked by Luis García Jr.'s solo home run off Graham Ashcraft. CJ Abrams extended the lead with a two-run double later in the inning, driving in Alex Call and Jacob Young. The Nationals' lineup showed up when it mattered, and they were creating big opportunities to create runs and support their pitchers, namely Gore and López. Abrams' performance was really big, as he continued his 10-game hitting streak and provided the necessary spark to propel the Nationals to victory.

This win was the Nationals' second consecutive victory, and it moved their record to 16-19 while giving them some much-needed momentum as they come home from this 3-3 road trip. The series against the Reds really showed the team's potential when both the pitching staff and hitters show up to the park ready to roll.

Up next…

Looking ahead, the Nationals will host the Cleveland Guardians for a three-game series starting Monday. With the pitching staff performing well and the offense finding its rhythm, the Nationals have an opportunity to build more momentum as they face off against a 20-14 team. Jake Irvin will take the bump against Luis L. Ortiz, and he will be followed by Brad Lord on Tuesday.