Gray had three strikeouts and no walks. The righty tossed 72 of his 98 pitches for strikes before rookie Cole Winn pitched a flawless ninth.
Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (2-3) struck out seven, walked one, and allowed two runs and five hits in five innings.
CJ Abrams led off the game with an infield single, bringing his on-base streak to 16 games. Gray retired 12 batters in a row until Trey Lipscomb’s two-out single in the fifth inning. He then retired the next 10 batters.
The Rangers got even in the fourth after Nathaniel Lowe had an infield single with a slow high chopper over the mound on the 10th pitch he saw. Adolis García and Jonah Heim followed with consecutive singles to make it 1-1.
They went ahead in the fifth when Marcus Semien tripled and scored on slugger Corey Seager’s swinging dribbler just in front of the plate.
Smith’s second homer of the season came in the sixth. Lowe had an RBI single after Semien’s double in the seventh, and Taveras hit a two-run homer to straightaway center in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said RHP Josiah Gray (right elbow/forearm flexor strain) is progressing. He says the pitcher has increased his throwing distance to 120 feet, is working on some mechanics on the mound and doing forearm strengthening. … 1B Joey Gallo, who hit 145 homers for Texas and was a two-time All-Star from 2015-21, is on the 10-day IL with a sprained left shoulder.
Rangers: RF Adolis García remained in the game despite being hit on the right hand by a 96.7 mph fastball from Gore while checking his swing in the fifth. When athletic trainer and manager Bruce Bochy arrived, the slugger had already grabbed his right wrist and was crouching in obvious pain in the opposite on-deck circle. RHP Max Scherzer (offseason back surgery) had his second scheduled rehab start postponed due to thumb pain.
UP NEXT
Trevor Williams (2-0, 2.70 ERA), with no decisions his last three starts, pitches for Washington in the middle game of the series Wednesday night. The Rangers go with left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-3, 6.26).
