WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Texas Rangers defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 on June 8, 2025, at Nationals Park, securing a series win with standout performances from Evan Carter and Jake Burger. The victory moved the Rangers to 31-35, maintaining their third-place standing in the American League West, while the Nationals fell to 30-35, holding third in the National League East.
The Rangers struck first in the second inning when Carter hit a two-run home run off Nationals starter Trevor Williams, scoring Marcus Semien. Williams, who took the loss and dropped to 3-7 with a 5.91 ERA, allowed three runs—two earned—over 4.1 innings. The Rangers added a run in the fifth on Semien’s RBI groundout and sealed the game in the eighth with Burger’s solo home run, his ninth of the season, off reliever Cole Henry.
Jacob Webb earned the win for the Rangers, improving to 3-3 with a 4.71 ERA, pitching 1.2 innings in relief of starter Jacob Latz. Robert Garcia secured his fourth save, striking out two in 1.1 innings. The Rangers’ bullpen, including Hoby Milner and Shawn Armstrong, held the Nationals scoreless over the final four innings, allowing only three hits.
The Nationals tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning with Alex Call’s solo home run and Josh Bell’s RBI forceout. Despite outhitting the Rangers 6-11, the Nationals struggled with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-3, and grounded into three double plays. Nathaniel Lowe led the Nationals’ offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, while Call contributed a home run and a single.
Both teams committed one error, with Rangers first baseman Josh Smith mishandling a grounder and Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe missing a catch. The Rangers’ defense shone, turning three double plays, including a strikeout-caught-stealing play in the third inning involving catcher Jonah Heim and Semien.
The game, delayed 1 hour and 40 minutes due to rain, drew 24,897 fans under overcast 72-degree conditions. Umpires Tom Hanahan, D.J. Reyburn, Sean Barber, and John Libka officiated. The contest lasted 2 hours and 41 minutes, with the first pitch at 3:15 p.m. EDT.
Carter paced the Rangers, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two RBIs, while Burger also went 3-for-4, adding a double and a home run. Semien contributed two hits and an RBI. For the Nationals, Jacob Young made two diving catches in center field, but the team’s offense faltered, leaving four runners on base.
Rangers starter Latz struck out seven in 3.1 innings but allowed two runs. The Nationals’ bullpen, including Brad Lord, Jose A. Ferrer, Henry, and Andrew Chafin, limited the damage, with Ferrer escaping a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. However, the Nationals’ inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities proved costly.
The Rangers’ victory marked their second win in the three-game series, highlighting their reliance on young talent like Carter and veteran contributions from Burger. The Nationals, despite strong individual performances from Lowe and Call, continued to struggle with consistency, ranking among the league’s lower offensive teams with a .238 batting average.
The Rangers will face the Chicago White Sox next, while the Nationals travel to play the Atlanta Braves.
