Cavalli K's career-high 13, shrugs off fourth-inning dust-up with Contreras

BOSTON – In a game marred by a benches-clearing melee, Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli delivered a career-best 13-strikeout performance as Washington topped the Red Sox, 8-1, on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

Cavalli retired 19 batters in a row to conclude a seven-inning outing. He allowed just one hit – a leadoff double by Anthony Seigler on Cavalli’s third pitch of the game – and one unearned run with no walks. The one hit was the fewest allowed by Cavalli in his career.

“He’s a bulldog out there,” said Nationals manager Blake Butera. “He competes, and I thought he had some of the best stuff I had seen.”

Cavalli is the first Nationals pitcher to throw seven or more innings with 10 or more strikeouts and allow one hit or fewer since Max Scherzer on April 14, 2018, against the Rockies.

Cavalli hurled his four-seamer on 47% of his pitches. It averaged 97.3 mph, and he had a 45% whiff rate with it. Cavalli also mixed in a knuckle curve, a sweeper, a sinker and a changeup.

“I loved the way that he was competing,” said catcher Keibert Ruiz. “He was getting ahead, attacking and throwing pitches to put away hitters. It was nasty today.”

In the midst of Cavalli’s outing, he was involved in a fracas with Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras following a strikeout in the fourth inning. Words were exchanged, and the benches and bullpens converged. Contreras, Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy and Red Sox utility player Nate Eaton were ejected.

“I strike him out, words were said,” Cavalli said. “We don't want that to happen. We're just competitive, and I'm thankful that my teammates have my back and we were able to move on from it and go focus on the game. So it's really not a big deal.”

Cavalli remained in the game and recorded 10 or more strikeouts for the third time this season. Cavalli said he felt “a little amped up” for the first batter after the tussle (Jarren Duran), but then he was able to settle in.

“There was a lot going on, of course,” said Butera. “To be able to move forward from that and settle his emotions a bit, pitch the way he did against that lineup and get us through seven innings, he threw the ball really well. It was really impressive what he was able to do, obviously with all the emotions flying high.”

Cavalli was booed by the Red Sox crowd each time he took the mound after that.

“I could hear it every inning I would run out there,” said Cavalli. “I get it. They love their team. It’s just part of the game.”

Cavalli allowed no earned runs for the first time this season. He has limited opponents to two earned runs or fewer in 13 of his 18 starts. On the road, he has held opponents to two runs or fewer in five of his past six starts.

Cavalli improved to 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA.

“I thought his stuff was unbelievable,” said Butera. “Pitching here in Fenway is never easy with a big crowd, and also going against this good of a lineup. But the ability that he had to do what he did tonight was extremely impressive.”