Sunday’s start was an unusual one for Cade Cavalli. He allowed four runs on seven hits with one walk. Cavalli’s two strikeouts — both on his sweeper — were tied for his fewest this season.

Since May 3 Littell has been one of the team’s best pitchers, and his improved play continued.

García hit two of the Nationals’ five homers. They had 16 hits as they sucked the life out of Chase Field.

​Given the ups and downs of the season, now felt like a good point to open the mailbag.

That Nationals could not solve Max Meyer.

The Nationals and Marlins were both throwing no-hitters entering the fifth inning. Washington exited it trailing 4-0.

“Patience and trust has been the biggest thing,” manager Blake Butera said recently. “He does a really good job of walking and getting on base, and he just keeps getting better and better [in] understanding how he’s getting attacked.”

Cade Cavalli didn’t have his sharpest, most efficient outing Monday night, requiring 89 pitches to get into the sixth inning.

Here are 10 stats that explain how the team got to this point.

“I know where we stand as baseball players, and I know where the owners stand,” Orioles pitcher Zach Eflin said. “It’s going to be a long conversation, long negotiation process, for both sides to get closer to what they want.”

The Padres entered last in batting average (.218) and OBP (.291) and second-to-last in slugging percentage (.361). They also entered with the fifth-fewest runs in the majors. But they found the perfect remedy against the Nationals.

James O’Keefe of the Citizen Journalism Foundation released an edited video of Hudson’s comments. The footage was secretly recorded.

It’s getting harder to ignore the Nationals’ quality play of late, which has included beating some impressive teams.

Over six innings Cavalli allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. He posted a 2.20 ERA in May after Tuesday’s start.

The Nationals tied a season high for homers.

Everything about the Nationals’ series win over the Braves was unusual.

Irvin was pitching as well as he had all season. He threw five no-hit innings with seven strikeouts Saturday at Atlanta.

Starter Jake Irvin was dialed in, striking out seven and walking one batter over five no-hit innings.

The Nationals couldn’t hold a lead and lost the opener of a three-game series to the Braves 5-4 in the 11th inning after Chadwick Tromp delivered the walk-off RBI single.

First-year first base coach Corey Ray, the No. 5 pick in the 2016 MLB draft by the Brewers, has been in charge of working with the runners.