Allen's Fourth-Inning Single Breaks Washington, Houston Wins 6-3

Nick Allen drove in three runs on a single hit, and that one swing in the fourth inning was the game. Houston erased a 2-1 deficit, scored three times in the fourth, and never looked back in a 6-3 win over Washington on July 7.

James Wood gave Washington the early edge, launching a 419-foot homer to right center in the first inning to put the Nationals up 1-0. Houston answered in the second on a Nick Allen sacrifice fly, then Washington reclaimed the lead in the third when CJ Abrams hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Wood again — the young outfielder crossing the plate for the second time in three innings. At that point, Washington held a 2-1 lead with Houston's starter Tatsuya Imai already laboring through 3.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 earned runs, and 3 walks.

Then the fourth inning happened, and it happened fast. Andrew Alvarez — who would finish with 5 earned runs allowed and 5 walks across 5.2 innings — couldn't hold the frame together. Allen singled to left, scoring Dezenzo and Walker to flip the lead to Houston at 3-2. The win probability swung from 63% to 47% on that single swing of the bat, the decisive moment of the night. Christian Vázquez followed immediately with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Matthews and pushing Houston to 4-2. Two plays, three runs, game turned. The story of the night was really that fourth inning — Washington's bullpen and lineup never found a credible answer after it.

Vázquez added another RBI single in the sixth, scoring Dezenzo again to make it 5-2, and Jose Altuve put the finishing touch on the offensive night with a 402-foot homer to left center in the eighth, extending the lead to 6-2. Washington got a consolation shot in the ninth when Jose Tena hit a 398-foot homer to right center, but that was all the Nationals could muster. On the pitching side, Steven Okert looks like the night's quiet standout for Houston — 1.1 innings, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, and 3 strikeouts out of the bullpen to bridge the gap after Imai's early exit. Riley Cornelio struck out three for Washington in 1.1 innings as well, but allowed an earned run. Houston's 6-3 final was built on small-ball execution — three sacrifice flies between the two clubs, Allen's clutch single, and just enough power to seal it late.