Cavalli delivers another gem, and García and Abrams dominate at the plate as trade deadline nears.
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When the Washington Nationals hit the road for their first trip after the all-star break last week, they knew the clock was ticking. The Aug. 3 trade deadline is quickly approaching, and their fate has yet to be determined. Whether they are buyers, signifying the front office is all in on this season, or sellers, essentially pushing their timeline back another year, is dependent on how they play during this stretch.
A 4-2 road trip, which ended with an 8-0 win over the Colorado Rockies in Denver and a second consecutive series victory on Wednesday, should help move them in the right direction.
“This felt like a really important game for us,” Manager Blake Butera told reporters afterward. “I’m sure they all are, hopefully down the stretch, but for whatever reason this one felt like it was extremely important for us to come out with a win.”
Now, it’s push time. After an off day on Thursday, the Nationals return home on Friday to face the Arizona Diamondbacks and kick off their last homestand before the deadline. At 52-51, the Nationals remain in the hunt for a National League wild card, but they have a handful of teams, including the Diamondbacks, to leap over first.
“It’s big,” CJ Abrams, who had four hits in the win, told the Nationals’ television broadcast. “We have good momentum going, so let’s keep it right.”
Regardless of what happens at the deadline, two things will likely remain the same: Cade Cavalli is developing into the No. 1 starter the Nationals were hoping for, and the offense is going to find a way to rake.
Both were on display Wednesday. Cavalli pitched six scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing just four hits. He pitched around traffic in all but one inning, leaving six Rockies on base. Cavalli relied heavily on a fastball-cutter combo, successfully navigating the challenges of pitching at altitude.
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“His stuff’s so good,” Butera told reporters. “He’s able to, it seems like, take it to a next level or another level when guys do get into scoring position, and there’s running threatening. He made some big pitches for us.”
It was Cavalli’s third consecutive six-inning start, and he’s allowed a combined four runs during this stretch. His ERA for the season is down to 3.58.
“He keeps inching and inching upward and becoming better each time out,” Butera told reporters. “I know he’s had a couple that he wished he had back, but overall, it just seems like he’s able to learn from each outing and continue to get better and grow each time out there. It’s been fun to watch.”
Cavalli was at 90 pitches after six innings, and the Nationals could have considered sending him out for at least one more batter had the offense not poured it on in the seventh to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
After notching just one run against Rockies starter Gabriel Hughes in five innings, Daylen Lile kicked off the scoring spree in the seventh with a walk, then Jorbit Vivas did the same to get runners on first and second. Nasim Nuñez hit a single to left field that Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak fumbled, allowing Vivas and Lile to score and Nuñez to advance to second on the error.
Luis García Jr. hit a two-run homer, extending the Nationals’ lead to 5-0. José Tena and Abrams hit back-to-back singles. Both were able to score on a base hit from Dylan Crews, with help from poor defense from the Rockies.
In the eighth inning, after a six-pitch top of the seventh from Eddy Yean in just his second major league appearance, Nuñez hit another RBI single to help secure the shutout win.
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