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The Washington Nationals edged the Houston Astros 12–11 on July 6 at Nationals Park in a high-scoring affair that exceeded the Vegas total line of 9.5. The Nationals' offense proved decisive despite modest efficiency, recording 13 hits and 3 home runs while driving in 12 runs with a .757 OPS. Houston countered with 12 hits and 3 homers of their own, accumulating 10 RBIs and posting a .729 OPS, but fell one run short. The pitching matchup favored neither team, with Washington's staff allowing 11 earned runs across 4.79 ERA and Houston's yielding 7 earned runs at 4.76 ERA; the Astros' bullpen struck out 9 but couldn't prevent the late-inning collapse. Both teams drew just 3 walks, indicating aggressive plate approaches that contributed to the offensive fireworks. The Nationals' flawless defense (zero errors) provided the marginal edge in a slugfest that saw Houston's run differential suffer despite strong strikeout production. This loss narrows Houston's divisional buffer as they face continued vulnerability in close games.