WASHINGTON (AP) — Carlos Correa hit a solo home run and made a diving play to prevent a game-tying run, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Wednesday.

“He makes the play of the day defensively, clearly,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Correa’s lunging stop and throw that preserved a 2-1 lead. “We’re probably still playing, or we could be down if he doesn’t play the way that he played today defensively. I mean, that’s big-time stuff.”

Max Kepler also had a solo shot, doubled and scored a late run to win the game and series, which the Twins began by losing their seventh in a row.

Minnesota starter Simeon Woods allowed three hits and a walk over 4 and 2/3 scoreless innings, and Steven Okert (1-0) retired four straight batters — after hopping on the Nationals’ bullpen cart and tipping his driver a $5 bill — for the first win of his career with the Twins.