Nationals Reach .500 with 8-4 Victory Over Mets

On Wednesday night, the Washington Nationals defeated the New York Mets 8–4, moving their record to an even 25-25. CJ Abrams opened the scoring with a three-run homer in the first inning, and Jacob Young added a two-run shot in the eighth to provide insurance. The Mets’ Juan Soto homered twice, but the Nationals held on for the win.

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CJ Abrams recorded his 10th career home run, delivering the three-run blast that set the early tone. Jacob Young’s eighth-inning homer accounted for two of Washington’s runs. Juan Soto’s two-run shots marked his 29th multi-homer game against Washington and brought his season total to five homers in his last seven appearances. Andrew Alvarez earned his first career save, pitching four innings without allowing a runner past first base after surrendering Soto’s two-run homer in the eighth.

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The final score was 8–4. Washington improved to 25-25, while New York fell to 21-28, remaining in last place. Abrams’ homer was his 10th of the season; Soto’s two homers raised his career total against Washington to 12 home runs and 26 RBIs in 35 games. Mets starter Zack Littell entered with a 0-4 record and a 7.85 ERA in his first six appearances versus Washington but had a 3-0 record with a 2.55 ERA in his last four outings. Andrew Alvarez earned his first four-inning save, the franchise’s first since Anthony Telford for the Montreal Expos in 1999.

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The Nationals’ franchise has not recorded a four-inning save since Anthony Telford achieved the milestone for the Montreal Expos in 1999. Andrew Alvarez’s four-inning effort on Wednesday marked the first such save for Washington since that 1999 appearance and also represented his first career save overall. The rarity of the statistic underscores the unusual length of his relief appearance, as he allowed no runners beyond first base after surrendering Soto’s two-run homer.

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Returning to a .500 record puts the Nationals at an even win-loss balance after a brief dip to 23-23 earlier in the week. The early offensive burst provided by Abrams and the late insurance from Young illustrate the team’s capacity to generate runs across multiple innings. The victory also marked the first time the franchise recorded a four-inning save since 1999, highlighting a rare bullpen performance.

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The final game of the four-game series is scheduled for Thursday. Washington will start right-hander Cade Cavalli, who holds a 1-2 record with a 4.05 ERA. He will face left-hander David Peterson of New York, whose record stands at 2-4 with a 5.40 ERA. Both pitchers will look to improve their season statistics as the clubs conclude the series.

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