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With a chance to turn the page from what proved to be a deflating end to the first half of the 2026 regular season, the Washington Nationals made a statement in game one of the second half.
The Washington Nationals jumped ahead early and never looked back, scoring a season-high 23 runs while allowing just four to open the series against the Athletics in Sacramento. The 23 runs mark the second-most in franchise history.
The best part? It came from an unsurprising hero after first baseman Andres Chaparro accounted for a career-high eight RBIs, belting a pair of home runs and accounting for a pair of runs while finishing 4-for-5 in the win.
He wasn't the only one to notch a home run after Harry Ford did enough to earn the spotlight in his first game as a National, hours after being officially called up.
The offseason acquisition struck out in his first at bat before drawing a walk in the fourth inning, all he needed before advancing to second on a ball that got behind the Athletics. Jacob Young would follow it up with a ground rule double, driving Ford home for his first run with the team.
Yet that came after Chaparro made it a 3-0 contest after an RBI single into right, which was followed by a Curtis Mead double into right for the game's first two runs.
The Athletics seemed to make it a game after Cade Cavalli allowed hits against the first two batters, the second being a two-run shot to cut the lead in half. But as you guessed, the Nationals made it no match after Chaparro belted a two-run shot in the fifth inning, preceding the two-run shot from Ford that brought Dylan Crews home to make it a four-run frame.
Washington then added six in the sixth inning thanks to a trio of singles from James Wood, Daylen Lile and Chaparro along with a double from CJ Abrams, blowing the game open 14-2.
Cavalli's night ended in the sixth inning after an ABS challenge ended the frame on a strikeout, allowing the two earned runs from the home run to go with four hits and nine strikeouts. Friday marked the second time in his last four starts and third since May 21 that Cavalli notched at least nine strikeouts, a chance for the Opening Day starter to open the second half on the right foot.
After Curtis Mead brought in Nasim Nunez to make it 15-2, Chaparro's second home run, this time a three-run shot, put the final touches on the career night before Crews, Ford then Lile all added consecutive RBI hits in the ninth inning.
Now back at .500 overall, the Nationals will look to take the series in hopeful similar fashion on Saturday night with first pitch set for 10:05 PM.
Nationals Roundtable also offers a fan community. We'd love to have you join us to talk all things Nationals. Create an account, click the "Join" button at the top of the page to join our free community and follow for all of our coverage, analysis and more!
Continue reading...
The Washington Nationals jumped ahead early and never looked back, scoring a season-high 23 runs while allowing just four to open the series against the Athletics in Sacramento. The 23 runs mark the second-most in franchise history.
The best part? It came from an unsurprising hero after first baseman Andres Chaparro accounted for a career-high eight RBIs, belting a pair of home runs and accounting for a pair of runs while finishing 4-for-5 in the win.
He wasn't the only one to notch a home run after Harry Ford did enough to earn the spotlight in his first game as a National, hours after being officially called up.
The offseason acquisition struck out in his first at bat before drawing a walk in the fourth inning, all he needed before advancing to second on a ball that got behind the Athletics. Jacob Young would follow it up with a ground rule double, driving Ford home for his first run with the team.
Yet that came after Chaparro made it a 3-0 contest after an RBI single into right, which was followed by a Curtis Mead double into right for the game's first two runs.
The Athletics seemed to make it a game after Cade Cavalli allowed hits against the first two batters, the second being a two-run shot to cut the lead in half. But as you guessed, the Nationals made it no match after Chaparro belted a two-run shot in the fifth inning, preceding the two-run shot from Ford that brought Dylan Crews home to make it a four-run frame.
Washington then added six in the sixth inning thanks to a trio of singles from James Wood, Daylen Lile and Chaparro along with a double from CJ Abrams, blowing the game open 14-2.
Cavalli's night ended in the sixth inning after an ABS challenge ended the frame on a strikeout, allowing the two earned runs from the home run to go with four hits and nine strikeouts. Friday marked the second time in his last four starts and third since May 21 that Cavalli notched at least nine strikeouts, a chance for the Opening Day starter to open the second half on the right foot.
After Curtis Mead brought in Nasim Nunez to make it 15-2, Chaparro's second home run, this time a three-run shot, put the final touches on the career night before Crews, Ford then Lile all added consecutive RBI hits in the ninth inning.
Now back at .500 overall, the Nationals will look to take the series in hopeful similar fashion on Saturday night with first pitch set for 10:05 PM.
Nationals Roundtable also offers a fan community. We'd love to have you join us to talk all things Nationals. Create an account, click the "Join" button at the top of the page to join our free community and follow for all of our coverage, analysis and more!
Continue reading...
