Outfielder continues to show surprising power, and reliever collects rare four-inning save in win against NL East rivals.
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After an exhausting 12-inning loss Monday and a thrilling comeback win Tuesday that included an inside-the-park grand slam, Wednesday’s game between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets had no jaw-dropping moments.
Instead, the Nationals, in the 8-4 win at home, put together a game that once again showed how far they have come. They don’t have a flashy lineup filled with star power like the Mets, who have a payroll more than $240 million higher than Washington.
But the Nationals do have CJ Abrams, who hit his 10th home run of the season in the first inning Wednesday and is now hitting .300 with a .928 OPS. And they have Jacob Young, who has tapped into newfound power this season. He hit his sixth home run in the 48th game of the season, compared to the five he hit in 303 major league games before this year. Young always believed he was capable of this, but even his teammates, including Abrams, said they’re shocked to see his production.
“I did not,” Abrams said when asked if he knew Young had this in him. “That’s been fun to watch.”
And the Nationals have found success using a pitching tandem, with Zack Littell starting and Andrew Alvarez piggybacking. Littell pitched the first five innings, allowing two runs, and Alvarez went the rest of the way to earn the four-inning save, the longest save in Nationals history.
Alvarez’s performance not only secured the game for the Nationals but ensured they only needed to use two pitchers Wednesday, a welcome reprieve as they navigate a stretch of 16 games without a day off. Now, the Nationals are guaranteed at least a series split, and a victory Thursday will give them their third consecutive series win at home.
“The guys battled today,” Alvarez said. “Littell did an awesome job. Guys put up runs early and then just some great defensive plays behind me.”
Littell helped set the tone. He has a 2.55 ERA in his past four outings, keeping opponents to a .206 average. He’s walked just four batters in that span, including none Wednesday.
He allowed one run in the second inning, with Mark Vientos doubling and Brett Baty driving him in with a single. The second came in the third inning, when Juan Soto homered to right field.
The rest of the game belonged to the Nationals. They got off to a hot start against Mets starter Zach Thornton, who was making his MLB debut. In the first inning, Curtis Mead had a base hit, and Andrés Chaparro, recalled Tuesday after Brady House was optioned, walked. Abrams then homered to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.
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In the second inning, Nasim Nuñez walked, stole second (his MLB-leading 21st of the season), advanced to third on a throwing error by Mets catcher Hayden Senger and scored on a single by Keibert Ruiz.
The Nationals added two runs in the sixth. Abrams and Dylan Crews hit back-to-back singles to open the inning, and Daylen Lile hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Abrams to score. Young followed with a double, and, after a pitching change, Nuñez pulled off a sacrifice bunt as Crews scored.
“We have some big hitters that early in our lineup that we know are going to kind of bang, but there are also guys that we know play the game,” Young said. “We have a lot of speed in this lineup, and we want to use that. It’s fun to watch us do it in all different types of ways.”
Soto added a home run in the eighth, a towering, two-run shot 408 feet into the second deck, but that was all Alvarez would allow. His ability to rebound from after giving up that home run, he said, was what he was most proud of.
It helped his confidence, too, that the Nationals responded with another blast. With Lile on second, Young homered to nail down the win.
Moving forward, the Nationals plan to continue using Alvarez out of the bullpen. Manager Blake Butera said it’s like having a sixth starter available, and Littell said Alvarez is pitching better than some members of the rotation.
Alvarez already has a few career accolades under his belt, including his debut last season and his first major league win. But this was his first save, and his teammates sure he knew he was appreciated.
And just how did they do that?
“How do you think?” Littell responded.
A beer shower. They grabbed Alvarez and put him in the laundry cart, then sprayed him down with ice-cold beer to toast his accomplishment.
“They know how to celebrate,” Alvarez said.
Notes: The Nationals optioned left-handed reliever PJ Poulin to Class AAA Rochester following the game. Poulin has a 2.91 ERA in 21 2/3 innings pitched.
The move likely opens a roster spot for Clayton Beeter, who has been on the injured list since April 26 with right forearm soreness.
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