Republicans once again defeated the Democrats at the Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday, taking home a 13-2 win for the GOP’s fifth straight victory in the annual bipartisan contest to raise money for charity.
The margin was not nearly as wide as last year’s 31-11 Republican walloping. But the Democrats could not capitalize on several scoring opportunities, leaving nine runners on base, and then struggled defensively in the later innings.
The Democrats, as is true most years, sported individual jerseys of their choice, while Republicans opted for their standard red uniform and “Make America Great Again” baseball caps. Some went further in on MAGA memorabilia, with starting pitcher Rep. Greg Staebe (Fla.) sporting gold sneakers signed by President Trump before the game.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) was not optimistic about his team’s chances before the game. When asked whether he thought the Democrats would win, he plainly said: “No.”
Democrats looked like they might draw ahead in the first inning, loading the bases with a single and two walks. Third baseman Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), however, kept the game scoreless by diving to stop a one-hopper up the line, then got up and dove to the bag for an inning-ending force-out.
Republicans scored their first run off of a Democratic throwing error in the first inning and widened their lead to 5-0 with the help of three hits and an error in the following frame. Democrats countered in the third with an RBI triple down the first-base line from Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), who then scored on a groundout to make it a 5-2 game midway through the third.
But they would not score again, and Republicans put the game out of reach with a five-run deluge in the fifth inning to bring the score to 10-2.
The Democrats’ woes continued in the sixth inning due to lackluster defense and some timely GOP hitting. A seemingly routine fly ball dropped into left field early in the frame, and a chopper up the middle snuck through the infield to allow pinch runner Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to score from second base, pushing the lead to 13-2.
Steube, who held the Democrats to two runs over five innings, gave way to Pfluger in the sixth. The Texas Republican was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
“Proud to have been selected MVP for this year’s Congressional Baseball Game!” Pfluger wrote on the social platform X following the game, sharing a photo of him with the trophy. “Couldn’t have asked for a better support team here in DC! Another huge win for Republicans.”
Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) took over on the mound in the seventh inning and closed out the game. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) struck out to end a feeble showing for the Democrats.
The Republican team was coached by Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), a former minor league player who also spent a year as head coach for Texas Christian University. Steube said pregame that Williams had driven the team hard in practice for the past four months.
“We start 5:45 in the morning, every day that we’re here, minus fly-in,” he said.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) credited Williams with the decision to wear MAGA hats, adding that “I think the president liked it.”
Democrats were coached by Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), who highlighted Aguilar as the party’s MVP.
Unlike in previous years, this year’s game did not see any significant protests. Last year, eight protesters with a climate advocacy group jumped onto the field and were arrested.
The game raised $2.81 million for local charities, including the Tim Johnson Memorial Fund, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and Washington Nationals Philanthropies. More than 30,000 tickets were sold for the event held at Nationals Park, which can seat more than 40,000 people.