Nationals undone by 5-run eighth inning in series loss against Pirates

Sunday looked like a game the Nationals could steal.

They received just 2 1/3 innings from Cade Cavalli — his shortest outing since April 16 against the Pirates — but the offense poured in runs.

But the problem with Cavalli’s outing was that it left 6 2/3 innings for a shaky bullpen to cover, and it bit the Nationals in their 11-5 loss to the Pirates.

The Nationals harp on two-strike execution for their pitching staff. So often, the ability (or inability) to execute in those situations determines whether the Nationals win or lose.

“It was a weird spot where Cade gets chased out of the game, then we come back and have a tie game,” manager Blake Butera said. “Now it’s like, not only are we trying to get through nine, we’re also trying to win, so we’re using some leverage arms. Then you’re looking at who’s available, and you’re trying to balance having our best guys in the game going as long as they can, while also trying to take care of them health-wise, and it’s a tough balance.”

In the eighth, right-hander Brad Lord couldn’t execute — he got to two strikes against every hitter he faced — and allowed a five-run inning that put the game out of reach. Until Lord’s six-run outing against Philadelphia, he had been the team’s best reliever. Butera said he isn’t reading much into Lord’s performance, particularly with the heat affecting multiple members of the pitching staff.

“Everybody else played in [the heat] too,” Lord said. “Just made some bad pitches and didn’t put guys away today.”

After a leadoff groundout, things quickly unraveled. Lord loaded the bases on back-to-back singles and a walk, necessitating a mound visit from pitching coach Simon Mathews.

Lord got ahead of Konnor Griffin in the count 1-2 but was unable to put him away. Griffin took a ball and fouled off two pitches. On the seventh pitch, Lord threw a fastball in the heart of the strike zone that Griffin hit for a two-run single to give the Pirates a 6-4 lead.

Two runs with the Nationals’ offense is manageable, but Lord then allowed a three-run homer to Brandon Lowe that essentially put the game out of reach. The Pirates added two ninth-inning runs on a single by Henry Davis.

Outside of Lord, the relievers combined to allow just two runs.

“Everybody gave us quality innings today,” Lord said. “I made a few bad pitches and let the team down and gave up the game.”

Except for right-handers Eddy Yean and Orlando Ribalta, the pitching staff struggled.

Cavalli was far from his best in his first outing since yelling at Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras to “sit down, boy,” which elicited a bases-clearing brawl and seven-game suspensions for Cavalli and Contreras. Cavalli is allowed to pitch pending an appeal.

In the second, Cavalli struggled with his command, allowing a leadoff walk to first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, followed by a single to third baseman Nick Gonzales. He induced a groundout from catcher Endy Rodriguez that moved runners over before Jake Magnum’s two-run single to right field gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Cavalli then attempted a pickoff at first base, but the throw got away, allowing Magnum to reach third. Cavalli collected himself to get out of the inning.

In the third, Cavalli allowed a leadoff homer to Bryan Reynolds on a 1-1 changeup that extended the Pirates’ lead to 4-0 before striking out Esmerlyn Valdez. After allowing a single to O’Hearn, he walked Gonzales on five pitches before exiting the game as Yean made his major league debut.

Cavalli said he felt lightheaded on the mound but didn’t think of coming out of the game. Butera said Cavalli was winded after the second inning and by the third his velocity was down and he had a headache.

“The heat just got to him. He got pretty dehydrated out there and just ran out of gas,” Butera said.

Cavalli allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, with three strikeouts and two walks. He allowed five ground-ball singles that found holes in the infield.

“It was just a weird day today,” Cavalli said. “It was just good placement by them. I made one bad pitch with a changeup that I left up and these guys are good hitters and [Reynolds] got it, so that was kind of the day.”

But the Nationals’ offense is unrelenting. After a quiet day Saturday, they kept chipping away. Trailing by four runs in the third, the Nationals started stringing together success against right-hander Bubba Chandler.

Catcher Keibert Ruiz hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on James Wood’s groundout. First baseman Luis García Jr., arguably the hottest hitter in baseball, launched a two-run shot to right field for his career-high 19th homer of the season.

The Nationals added a run in the fourth on second baseman Jorbit Vivas’ groundout and another in the fifth on CJ Abrams’ sacrifice fly.

But Lord couldn’t keep the game in reach. He said he’s going to look back at his outing to see what he could improve. Butera said the team still has Lord’s back late in games.

“Just looking at the body of work that he’s accomplished this year as a whole, that’s who we expect him to be, and that’s why he’s getting the ball in that situation,” Butera said. “We’re still going to lean on him going multiple innings at a time, and I have no doubt in my mind Brad’s going to bounce back and be just OK.”

This article has been updated.