Houston Astros at Washington Nationals

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
HOU	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2	8	0
WSH	0	0	2	3	3	0	0	0	—	8	9	1

Foster Griffin took the ball for Washington looking to keep building on a season that's turned into one of baseball's best under-the-radar signings, coming off a start against Pittsburgh where he allowed just 1 earned run over 5 innings. Spencer Arrighetti got the call for Houston trying to build on a no-decision his last time out against Tampa Bay, where he punched out 4 over 6 innings and allowed just 1 earned run.

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FINAL

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ML

Total

Astros(46-48)

WLWWL

2

+1.5-156+122o9.5-122

Nationals(47-46)

LWLLW

8

-1.5+156-125u9.5+120

Best BetNationals -135

Postgame

The Nationals moneyline cashed easily as Washington's offense erupted for 8 runs behind Griffin's arm against a shorthanded Astros roster.

Pregame

Washington entered as the moneyline favorite at home, and that's the side we took at -130 when the number first posted. Griffin's been one of the best value arms in baseball this year, and with Houston's infield picking up the pieces after Correa's ankle surgery, the safer bet was the team with the healthier roster and the better arm on the mound.

Washington's rotation picture beyond Griffin is rough right now — Cade Cavalli was still working through a suspension, Jake Irvin and Trevor Williams remain stuck on rehab tracks, and the bullpen has been absorbing extra innings most of the summer. That makes nights when the lefty takes the ball feel more like must-wins than routine turns through the rotation. Houston's not much better off: Jeremy Peña is still on a rehab assignment and Carlos Correa just went under the knife for season-ending ankle surgery, thinning out an infield that was already stretched thin.

Spencer Arrighetti

(7-5)·4.34 ERA

Jul 3 vs Rays

ND

6.0IP

1ER

4K

1BB

73P

07/08 Lineup

Foster Griffin

(11-2)·2.68 ERA

Jul 3 vs Pirates

W

5.0IP

1ER

2K

1BB

83P

07/08 Lineup

For a while it looked like the pitching would hold. Both offenses were shut out through the first two innings before Washington cracked it open, scoring 2 in the 3rd and following with 3-run frames in both the 4th and 5th to turn a scoreless duel into a laugher. Arrighetti and the Astros bullpen never found an answer, and by the time Griffin handed things off, the Nats were coasting.

Houston Astros

(46-48)

Jul 7W@ Nationals6-3

Jul 6L@ Nationals11-12

Jul 5Wvs Rays2-0

Jul 4Wvs Rays10-8

Jul 4Lvs Rays1-3

Washington Nationals

(47-46)

Jul 7Lvs Astros3-6

Jul 6Wvs Astros12-11

Jul 5Lvs Pirates5-11

Jul 4Lvs Pirates1-7

Jul 3Wvs Pirates9-5

That finale flips the emotional math on this series. Washington had dropped 2 of its last 5 games coming in and needed exactly this kind of statement to close it out, while Houston is still searching for the consistency that a 46-48 record suggests has been missing all year.

Houston Astros

(8)

• 10-Day-ILJeremy Pena (SS) — Pena (calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.07/06
• 15-Day-ILLance McCullers Jr. (SP) — McCullers (shoulder) struck out four and allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks across four innings in a rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Sugar Land.07/08
• 15-Day-ILKai-Wei Teng (RP) — The Astros rescinded Teng's option and placed him on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a right knee sprain, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.07/01
• 60-Day-ILRonel Blanco (SP) — Blanco (elbow) struck out two over two perfect innings in a rehab appearance Tuesday with Triple-A Sugar Land.07/08
• 60-Day-ILBennett Sousa (RP) — Sousa (elbow) struck out one over a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Sugar Land.07/07
• 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — Wesneski (elbow) struck out three and allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk across four innings Sunday in a rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi. He also hit a batter and threw two wild pitches.07/07
• 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros announced Friday that Walter (elbow) is in the midst of a throwing progression at the team's complex in West Palm Beach, Fla., Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.06/04
• 60-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — Correa is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday in Houston to repair the tendon in his left ankle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.06/02

Washington Nationals

(9)

• 15-Day-ILJake Irvin (SP) — Irvin (shoulder) is slated to face live hitters in batting practice Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/06
• 15-Day-ILRichard Lovelady (RP) — The Nationals placed Lovelady on the 15-day injured list Monday with a left triceps strain.06/29
• SuspensionCade Cavalli (SP) — Major League Baseball announced that Cavalli's seven-game suspension has been reduced to five games following an appeal, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports. The right-hander will begin serving the ban in Monday's series opener versus the Astros.07/06
• 60-Day-ILTrevor Williams (SP) — Williams (elbow) is slated to make his third rehab start Wednesday at Triple-A Rochester, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/06
• 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker (RP) — The Nationals transferred Parker (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday.07/02
• 60-Day-ILDJ Herz (SP) — Herz (elbow) was diagnosed Monday with a left flexor strain, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.06/22
• 60-Day-ILMax Kranick (RP) — Kranick (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg on Sunday, striking out two over 1.2 perfect innings.06/22
• 60-Day-ILKen Waldichuk (RP) — Waldichuk (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure April 21 and is hopeful to return to game action at some point early in the 2027 season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.06/11
• 60-Day-ILJosiah Gray (SP) — Gray (elbow) has resumed a throwing program, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.05/08

Both rotations are running thin, but Washington has papered over it better than Houston has, mostly because Griffin has been that good every fifth day. The Astros don't have an equivalent arm to lean on right now, and Wednesday it showed.

Washington heads into its next series with real momentum and a rotation anchor it desperately needed, while Houston flies out of D.C. wondering how much longer it can paper over the pitching losses piling up back in Texas.