Rangers' Jon Gray holds Nationals to 3 singles over 8 innings in a 7

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray just kept getting the sign from catcher Jonah Heim and filling the strike zone with heaters, sliders and a few changeups against the Washington Nationals.

Gray retired 22 of the last 23 batters he faced while allowing only three singles over eight innings, and the Rangers won 7-1 on Tuesday night to end the Nationals’ four-game winning streak.

“Just trusting his stuff and he’s going right at these guys,” Heim said.

“He was on top of his game,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Just was solid work throughout the game.”

Josh Smith and Leody Taveras homered for the defending World Series champion Rangers (16-14), who have won back-to-back games for only the second time since April 6.

Coming off a four-game sweep at Miami when they scored 33 runs, the Nationals (14-15) missed a chance to get over .500 for the first time since July 1, 2021.