WASHINGTON (AP) — Cade Cavalli took a shutout into the seventh inning, 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) hadn’t allowed a run until giving up back-to-back solo home runs to Samuel Bassallo and Tyler O’Neill to lead off the seventh. 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 in 6 1/3 innings.
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.
Up next
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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