Nationals stop 2-game skid in blowout win over Mariners

Luis García Jr. was his usual, jubilant self as he rounded the bases in the fifth inning.

Things were getting tense at Nationals Park after the Mariners had scored three runs in the top of the inning to tie the game. The fans were growing antsy that another blown lead was on the horizon.

But García, as he’s wont to do, shifted the energy with a two-run homer. He ventured way down in the strike zone, nearly dropping to one knee, to get to Mariners starter Luis Castillo’s changeup.

That two-run homer reenergized the fans and gave the Nationals a boost in an 8-3 win Saturday.

“Whenever you’re in those opportunities where you can help the team and all that, [it] really brings me a lot of excitement,” García said through a team interpreter.

The consternation can stop, and Nationals fans can unclench their jaws and unfurrow their brows. The Tarps Off crowd can continue their shirtless celebrations. Coming off the worst loss of the season against the Giants, and a disappointing defeat Friday to the Mariners, the Nationals needed a win.

They showed resolve to battle back and blow the game open.

“These guys, they stayed on it,” manager Blake Butera said. “We know Seattle has really good pitching and really good arms. Credit to our hitters and our group for staying at them all nine [innings] and putting together some really good at-bats.

With a 5-3 lead in the seventh and the bases loaded, the ballpark swelled with nervous energy. But Richard Lovelady induced a pop-up to end the inning and elicit a roar that bordered on a cathartic release.

Even over this two-game slump, the Nationals’ clubhouse never wavered in its belief. Over a 162-game season, every team goes through lulls. The meltdown in San Francisco was inexcusable, but it wasn’t indicative of their overall play.

“That was a good battle out there,” Butera said. “I thought our guys played really well in all facets — baserunning, defense, pitching [and the] bullpen was outstanding as well. Really happy with the way he threw the ball, and I’m happy with the way the bullpen came up clutch for us."

Things looked dicey in the fifth inning. Nationals starter Cade Cavalli had been everything the team needed from its ace through four. He was living in the zone and throwing off-speed pitches for strikes.

He didn’t allow a Mariners baserunner to get into scoring position until the fifth inning, but that’s when things got away from him.

After allowing a two-out RBI single that cut the lead to two, Cavalli just needed one out to escape the inning with his team in front. On an 0-2 count against Mariners rookie Colt Emerson, Cavalli went for an up-and-in fastball that Emerson drove for a two-run homer that tied the game. Cavalli allowed another single before a pop-up ended the inning.

“I can go lay my head down on the pillow at night and know that I executed, gave my all and we had a chance to win the game,” said Cavalli, who allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

Though he’s 28, Cavalli hasn’t thrown many innings because of injuries. He’s pitched 127 2/3 innings in his career after Saturday, so this season is about Cavalli learning and growing from each start. He said he’s feeling comfortable on the starter’s schedule.

Cavalli has a 3.98 ERA and has shown glimpses of the arm the Nationals envisioned when they selected him in the first round of the 2020 MLB draft.

“It’s unfortunate what happened in the fifth, but it was great that we got the win and gave our offense a chance to go do what they do,” he said.

The crowd erupted when Garcia’s homer gave the Nationals a 5-3 lead in the fifth inning. Once the ball left the park and “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen started blasting over the stadium speakers, the momentum shifted in the ballpark.

“It shows the resilience [of] this team,” center fielder Dylan Crews said of García’s homer. “Luis [has] been awesome for us this whole year. We needed some momentum right there, and he was able to get us back on top.”

It’s too early to say a game is must-win, but the Nationals and their fans desperately needed a palate cleanser after the last two games. Even if it’s just a brief respite, stopping the downturn before it spiraled is very important for a young team.

“Things didn’t go our way the last couple of days, but one thing that sticks out of this team is that we never give up,” García said. “That’s why it’s [a] 162-game season. So, one day, you cannot let that get into your head and ruin the season.”

This article has been updated.