The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at Rogers Centre, maintaining their lead in the American League East with a 5-2 record. The Nationals, now 1-5 and fourth in the National League East, struggled offensively despite a late rally, falling short against Toronto’s pitching and timely hitting.
Toronto struck first in the opening inning when George Springer scored on a sacrifice fly by Ernie Clement, taking a 1-0 lead off Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore. The Blue Jays added to their advantage in the fourth with Springer’s solo home run, his first of the season, and extended it to 3-0 in the fifth when Andres Gimenez drove in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a two-out single. A double by Myles Straw in the sixth, followed by an error on a throw by Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, allowed Straw to score, pushing the lead to 4-0.
Gore (0-1, 2.45 ERA) took the loss for Washington, allowing three earned runs on nine hits over five innings, striking out five and walking two. He was relieved by Matt Lord, who surrendered an unearned run in the sixth, and Diomede Ribalta, who pitched two scoreless frames. “We couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said postgame, per MLB.com.
The Nationals broke through in the sixth when Abrams hit his second home run of the season off Toronto reliever Andrew Little, cutting the deficit to 4-1. They mounted a final push in the ninth against closer Trevor Hoffman. Nathaniel Lowe doubled to drive in James Wood, who had singled, making it 4-2. However, Hoffman struck out pinch-hitter Luis García Jr. to secure his third save, finishing with a 2.25 ERA.
Toronto’s Lucas (1-0, 0.00 ERA) earned the win, tossing five shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out three. Little, Chad Green, Yimi García, and Hoffman combined for four innings of relief, holding Washington to five hits total. Springer led the Blue Jays’ offense with a home run and an RBI, while Straw went 3-for-4 with two doubles. Anthony Santander added a double and scored, and Tyler Heineman notched two hits.
Washington’s offense managed just five hits, with Abrams, Lowe, and Wood contributing key efforts. Lowe’s double in the ninth marked his second of the season, and Ruiz and Josh Bell each singled. The Nationals left four runners on base and went 1-for-1 with runners in scoring position, while Toronto stranded nine but capitalized, going 3-for-12 in similar situations.
The game, attended by 20,104 with the roof closed under 68-degree conditions, lasted 2 hours and 27 minutes. Umpires Derek Thomas, Mike Estabrook, Erich Bacchus, and Laz Diaz officiated. The Blue Jays’ victory keeps them atop the AL East, while the Nationals continue to seek consistency early in the season.
