Nats play spoiler again in 2nd straight split

SEATTLE — The Nationals are grinding it out as the summer winds down. They’re looking for signs of encouragement, occasional moments of brilliance and shining examples that they can pay forward into a winter of continued rebuilding.

So the way they pieced together a 3-1 win over the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park had to make them smile.

They got a gritty bend-don’t-break start from Aníbal Sánchez, a terrific extended effort from four relief pitchers and a clutch tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning from Ildemaro Vargas off Mariners closer Paul Sewald to set up a happy flight back to the District of Columbia.

The Nationals snapped a three-game losing streak and handed the Mariners a defeat and a two-game series split at an inopportune time for Seattle, which is fighting for an American League Wild Card spot. This came after splitting a four-game road series against the Padres, who are also in the postseason mix.

“We’ve pitched well this whole road [trip],” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “They were outstanding. Really. From the starters to the relievers, they pitched really well. We’re doing good, but we’ve got to make some more opportunities and try and drive in runs, especially with less than two outs.

“But I can’t say enough about how hard we’ve played, and today Vargas picked us up on a big home run there at the end.”

Early on, it looked like it would be tough sledding for the Nationals with the way Mariners starter George Kirby was pitching. Kirby opened the game with 24 consecutive strikes, a Major League record in the pitch-tracking era (since 1988). But the Nats peppered him with hits — eight over seven innings — and scored in the first when three straight singles culminated in Nelson Cruz’s RBI single to left field.

Sánchez was excellent, keeping the Mariners off balance and giving up one hit through the first four innings as Washington held a 1-0 lead. But his pitch count crept up, and when Carlos Santana doubled to lead off the fifth and moved to third on a Ty France groundout, Martinez didn’t hesitate to turn to right-hander Hunter Harvey after Sánchez’s 81st pitch.

Harvey threw only 11 pitches, but two of them were over 100 mph and seven of them were 99-plus mph. He struck out Cal Raleigh and Dylan Moore in succession to end that threat.

Victor Arano followed with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two. Carl Edwards Jr. entered after that, also pitching 1 1/3 innings and striking out two. Edwards made one mistake, hanging a curveball in the eighth inning that Mariners rookie sensation Julio Rodríguez belted over the wall in left-center field to tie the game at 1, but Kyle Finnegan got out of that inning and then pitched a scoreless ninth.

“It’s fun,” Harvey said of a tight game where the bullpen is called upon. “It’s fun coming into the game in a key situation and being able to get out of it. It’s just a fun opportunity. Everybody here is fighting to stay around, so every day you compete your butt off. So that’s all there is to it.”

That sentiment is shared by Vargas.

The 31-year-old journeyman, who played for the Cubs earlier this season and was signed by Washington as a free agent in late May, said he would love to be back with the Nationals next season, and he’s doing everything he can to show them that he belongs.

As for the home run, Vargas said seeing Sewald late in Tuesday night’s loss to Seattle helped quite a bit.

“I’m always looking to take advantage of a fastball and make hard contact,” Vargas said through an interpreter. “Luckily I got one and took advantage of it.”

Martinez said he loves Vargas’ energy and versatility, and the skipper could definitely see a situation where he could return with the club in 2023.

“He’s played short, he’s played second, he’s really good all over the infield, and he also can play the corner outfield position,” Martinez said. “So this is what I’m talking about right now. We’ve got five, six weeks left. I want to see what these guys can do, because it means a lot going forward.”