WASHINGTON, D.C. — Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Harry Ford added a two-run drive in the fourth, accounting for all of Washington’s offense as the Nationals held off the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Friday night at Nationals Park.
Washington put up all three of its first-inning runs after a break. With a runner on first and one out, Brady House hit a sharp grounder toward Elly De La Cruz. The Cincinnati shortstop couldn’t handle it, and instead of an inning-ending double play, the error left runners on the corners. Lile followed with his 15th homer for a 3-0 lead. First pitch had been delayed 62 minutes by the threat of rain.
The Reds tied it by the third, and did it entirely on the long ball. Eugenio Suarez homered in the second, then Matt McLain and De La Cruz hit back-to-back solo shots an inning later. Ford answered with a two-run drive off Julian Garcia (2-3) in the fourth to put Washington back in front for good.
Cade Cavalli (9-5) surrendered all three Cincinnati homers but still ran his streak of quality starts to six, allowing seven hits and two walks in six-plus innings while striking out eight. He was pulled in the seventh after a single, a stolen base and a slow roller that turned into another single. Yovanny Cruz got a strikeout and issued a walk before Sal Stewart bounced into a bases-loaded double play. Orlando Ribalta worked the eighth and Clayton Beeter finished for his 12th save. Chase Petty, making his first start for Cincinnati since May 23 in a bullpen game, gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits in 1 2/3 innings.
The win moved Washington to 57-61 and was just its second in the last 10 games. Cincinnati dropped to 56-59, losing for only the second time in eight. Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams still leads the majors with 88 RBIs, one more than Stewart, though neither drove in a run Friday. The series continues Saturday night at Nationals Park, with Reds All-Star Chase Burns (13-1) opposing Washington’s Andrew Alvarez (2-3).
Sources: Associated Press game story (Noah Trister); Baseball-Reference and CBS Sports box scores.