WASHINGTON – There is a major difference in the way Carlos Correa looks in the batter's box after he dealt with plantar fasciitis in his left heel for most of last season.

He showed it once again when he pummeled a first-pitch curveball for a solo home run in the sixth inning Wednesday to give the Twins a two-run lead. Then he showed how much it helps to have a healthy foot when he saved the lead with his defense an inning later.

Correa, with the tying run on third base in the bottom of the seventh inning, took two steps and dove for a hard-hit ball up the middle from Washington Nationals center fielder Jacob Young. Correa quickly stood up and fired a missile to first base to throw out one of the fastest runners in the sport for a game-saving out.

Everyone on the field appreciated the moment. Correa let out a yell after his body spun toward the outfield. Griffin Jax, the pitcher, pumped his fist while he screamed from the mound. Teammates congratulated Correa inside and outside of the dugout as the Twins held off the Nationals for a 3-2 victory at Nationals Park, taking the final two games in the three-game series.

Simeon Woods Richardson was pulled early, after completing 4⅔ scoreless innings in 77 pitches, and the Twins relied on their bullpen to record the final 13 outs.

It wasn't the sharpest outing for Woods Richardson, whose fastball velocity was down about 1 mph on an 85-degree afternoon. He threw a first-pitch strike to nine of his 18 batters, and two of his last three outs were recorded at the warning track. He was still effective, pitching around leadoff singles in the second and third innings, and a leadoff walk in the fourth inning.

With the top of the Nationals lineup coming to the plate for the third time — with three straight lefthanded hitters — manager Rocco Baldelli opted to make an early call to the bullpen.

Woods Richardson, the 23-year-old rookie, lowered his ERA to 2.57 through seven starts.

Facing a Nationals lineup that featured five lefties and one switch hitter, the Twins leaned on their lefthanded relievers. Steven Okert arrived on the bullpen cart when he replaced Woods Richardson, even tipping the driver in cash, before he retired all four batters he faced.

Kody Funderburk allowed two hits to open the seventh inning before he struck out ex-Twin Joey Gallo. Jax induced two ground balls afterward, allowing one run to score on a groundout to first base, and then he watched Correa save the lead with his diving play.

BOXSCORE: Twins 3, Washington 2

The Twins managed five hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings against Nationals starter Jake Irvin, a Bloomington Jefferson grad and a one-time Twins draft pick. Max Kepler homered on a first-pitch fastball in the second inning and Correa hit a solo homer on a first-pitch curveball in the sixth.

Kepler scored a key insurance run in the top of the ninth inning after he hit a leadoff double. Ryan Jeffers followed with an RBI single.

After Caleb Thielbar, the third lefty pitcher the Twins used, pitched a scoreless eighth inning, Twins closer Jhoan Duran surrendered his third homer in his last three appearances, a solo shot to Joey Meneses on a splitter. Duran stranded the tying run at second base.