Ben Malgeri hit a three-run homer and the host Detroit Tigers opened a three-game series with a 9-2 romp over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.
Javier Baez and Spencer Torkelson each supplied two-run shots for the Tigers (74-83), who were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Detroit’s Hao-Yu Lee contributed three hits, a run and an RBI, Eduardo Valencia had three hits and a run and Dillon Dingler added two hits and two runs as the Tigers won for just the second time in six games.
River Ryan started for Detroit and pitched three scoreless innings while recording three strikeouts in his Tigers debut. He yielded two hits and walked one.
Ryan, elevated from Triple-A Toledo, was one of three prospects acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the blockbuster Tarik Skubal trade last month. Ryan pitched four games with the Dodgers in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Tigers right-hander Keider Montero (10-9) threw four shutout innings while striking out five. He permitted one hit and one walk.
Washington starter DJ Herz (0-1), like Ryan, made his first major league appearance since the 2024 season. He gave up four runs on five hits in four innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Pinch hitter Yohandy Morales produced a two-run homer for the Nationals (73-84), who took their second loss in a row.
Detroit jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first. Herz walked Gleyber Torres on four pitches and threw a wild pitch with Lee batting, moving Torres to second. Lee then smacked an RBI ground-rule double. Lee moved to third on a one-out Valencia single and scored on an error by left fielder James Wood.
The lead grew to 4-0 in the fourth. Dingler walked to open the frame, and one out later, Baez pulled a Herz changeup over the left field wall.
Detroit made it 9-0 in the fifth. Riley Greene drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a Valencia double. Malgeri then knocked a splitter over the left field wall.
Dingler followed with a double before Torkelson clubbed a fastball out to left.
Morales’ homer came in the eighth off Drew Sommers with two outs and Wood, who had singled, on first base.
