Luis García Jr.’s two-run shot ignited an 8-3 win over the Mariners after the Washington Nationals suffered two rough losses.
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The Washington Nationals needed a break. They had already gotten one in the first inning Saturday, when a Seattle Mariners error led to three runs. But with the game tied in the fifth and the Nationals looking to avoid a third straight loss, they needed something else to go their way.
It came in the bottom of the fifth inning. James Wood hit a soft liner the opposite way that went off the glove of Mariners third baseman Miles Mastrobuoni. That single opened an opportunity for Luis García Jr., who took full advantage by taking a changeup 408 feet to right-center field. The home run gave the Nationals a 5-3 lead, shifting the momentum and the Nationals Park crowd back in their favor and sending them on their way to an 8-3 win.
“It was massive,” starter Cade Cavalli said. “You could feel it in the stadium like, ‘We’re going to go win this game.’”
There’s no such thing as a must-win game in June. But for a Nationals team fighting to stay above .500, this was as close to that situation as any they have faced this season. Following Wednesday’s walk-off devastation in San Francisco and Friday’s blowout loss to Seattle, the Nationals put together a complete game, with the starting pitcher, bullpen, offense and defense all doing their jobs.
“That was a good battle out there,” Manager Blake Butera said. “I thought our guys played really, really well in all facets.”
Saturday’s win started with a strong foundation. In the first inning, García Jr. reached on an errant throw by first baseman Josh Naylor. CJ Abrams drove him in with a two-out single. Daylen Lile followed with an RBI triple, then scored on a single from Dylan Crews.
Armed with a 3-0 lead, Cavalli cruised through the first four innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five. In the fifth, things got away from him. He hit Dominic Canzone with a sweeper to open the inning. With two outs, Mitch Garver hit an RBI single to get the Mariners on the board.
Cavalli was close to getting out of the inning, getting ahead 0-2 against Colt Emerson, but Emerson is a 20-year-old phenom for a reason. Cavalli sent him a 98-mph fastball up and in. He located it exactly where he wanted it to, but Emerson was still able to turn on it for a two-run homer to tie the game.
“He put a good swing on it,” Cavalli said. “I executed it. I had full conviction in it, and sometimes they get it. I can go lie my head down on my pillow tonight and know I executed it, gave my all, and we had a chance to win the game. I’m pleased with today.”
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Washington responded right away, with García’s long ball restoring the lead. The crowd, which had quieted after the top half of the inning, was right back in it. So was the Nationals’ dugout.
“It was exactly what we needed at the right time, and we were all pumped,” Butera said.
With Cavalli’s day over after five innings, PJ Poulin (recalled Saturday from Class AAA Rochester), Orlando Ribalta, Richard Lovelady and Brad Lord held the Mariners scoreless the rest of the way. It wasn’t always smooth sailing — Lovelady did have to pitch himself out of a bases-loaded jam — but they executed when they needed to.
In the seventh, the Nationals put the game away, scoring three more runs on singles from Abrams and José Tena and an errant pickoff attempt.
With another victory Sunday, the Nationals have a chance to salvage the weekend and claim another series win.
“Things didn’t go our way the last couple of days, but one thing that sticks out about this team is we never give up,” García said through an interpreter. “We work hard every day to win games, and that’s why it’s a 162-game season. We can’t let ourselves think and get into your head and let it ruin the season.”
Notes: Riley Cornelio was optioned to Class AAA after he pitched 4⅓ innings in Friday’s game. The righty allowed three runs and has a 6.48 ERA in his three MLB appearances.
Poulin was recalled as the corresponding move to give the Nationals another left-handed option.
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