WASHINGTON (AP) — Cade Cavalli tossed six scoreless innings, Keibert Ruiz homered and drove in a career-high five runs and the Washington Nationals reached the .500 mark for the first time in two years with a 13-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Jacob Young and Brady House also homered for the Nationals, who were 0-15 in games in which they were a win away from a .500 record after being 20-20 on May 14, 2024. They won the first game of
a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox that day, but lost the nightcap — and have been trying to reach .500 again since.
Cavalli (2-2) carried a shutout into the seventh inning before allowing back-to-back solo home runs to Samuel Bassallo and Tyler O'Neill. It was the second time in his 21 career starts, and first this season, that the right-hander pitched into the seventh. Cavalli allowed three runs, eight hits and struck out eight.
Ruiz, who was a triple shy of the cycle, hit a three-run homer off Chris Bassitt (3-3) to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead in the second. It was the Nationals catcher's third home run in his last five games.
Clinging to a 4-3 lead entering the seventh, the Nationals broke it open with seven runs. House hit an RBI double and scored on a fielder's choice. Ruiz added to his big day at the plate with a two-run double. Young hit a three-run homer to make it 11-3.
House added a two-run homer in the eighth to cap the big day for Washington's offense.
Bassitt allowed four runs and six hits in five innings for Baltimore.
Orioles RHP Brandon Young (3-1, 4.15 ERA) and Nationals RHP Miles Mikolas (1-3, 7.00 ERA) start on Sunday for the finale of the Beltway Series.
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