Cavalli labors in truncated, heat-laden start vs. Pirates 

WASHINGTON -- Cade Cavalli had his worst start of the season at Pittsburgh back in mid-April, when he allowed four runs in a career-low 1 1/3 innings, taking the loss in the Nationals’ 16-5 setback.

Sunday, it was not much better for Cavalli against the Bucs in the rematch at Nationals Park.

After his best start of the year against the Red Sox last Tuesday in an 8-1 win -- marred by a benches-clearing incident featuring Cavalli and Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras that started after a strikeout – the right-hander lasted 2 1/3 innings on Sunday in a no-decision.

"You can think about [the appeal] but I always say when I get out there, like I'm out there,” Cavalli said of the appeal of the seven-game suspension he and Contreras received. “So, whatever's happened in the week doesn't really matter. I for sure had less sleep than normal this week. But that's no excuse."

The Pirates scored five runs in the eighth inning when reliever Brad Lord surrendered a two-run bases-loaded single to Konnor Griffin and a three-run shot to Brandon Lowe, handing the Nationals the series loss, 11-5.

"I don't know, maybe it was just trying to do too much with two strikes,” Lord said. “Not really sure what it is, but going to try and take a deep dive and see what we can figure out to help that."

In the second inning, the Pirates parceled together three hits and took advantage of a walk and throwing error by Cavalli to score three runs. Tyler Callihan’s two-run single to right field was the big hit. Bryan Reynolds’ made it 4-0. Cavalli lasted three more batters.

Cavalli’s troubles might have been fueled because the average velocity on his four-seam fastball dropped from first to third innings: 97.6 mph to 96.1 mph to 94.1 mph. But he said the heat really made the outing difficult, as he started to feel dizzy after one pitch with full exertion.

"It was a weird thing,” Cavalli said. "I knew it was going to be hot. These last two or three days [I’ve] been trying to prepare my body as best I can for it, drinking a lot of fluids, the right kind of fluids.

“I don't know why my body reacted the way it did to it in the second [inning]. There was a pitch where I kind of got after one and I got a little light-headed. [I] got through it, got back down to the tunnel, tried to get cold. It was just a really weird feeling that I was having. But it's no excuse for how I threw the ball."

Cavalli threw 63 pitches over 2 1/3 innings, the second shortest of his 19 starts this season, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. In three career starts against the Bucs, Cavalli’s ERA is 10.38 (8 2/3 innings, 10 ER).

"He's had a lot to work through with the past five days,” manager Blake Butera said. “[There's] been a lot on his plate. I thought he was in a good head space given everything that has occurred this past week. [He] went out there in the first [inning] and looked like his normal self. The velocity, the stuff was there.

“Everything was just down [velocity-wise]. [We] went out there to make sure he wasn't hurt and it was just like he said he [had a] bad headache, out of gas a little bit. The weather was tough, obviously, it was hot."

25-year-old Eddy Yean replaced Cavalli in the third inning, making an impressive MLB debut nine years and three days after his original signing with the Nationals on July 2, 2017.

Yean, who spent five seasons in the Pirates organization, arrived with two on and one out and retired the side, finishing with two scoreless no-hit innings, walking one and striking out two. He was sent back to Triple-A Rochester after the game.

"He was outstanding in his debut,” Butera said. “He had to pick us up in the spot that we were in. Obviously [I] didn't plan on going to him in the third inning. But to come in there, get us out of a jam and then keep us in the game. I thought he looked great."

The Nationals started their comeback in the third on a two-run homer to right field by Luis García Jr. that cut the lead to 4-2. The Statcast-projected 370-foot blast was García Jr.’s 19th of the season, a new career-high. Jorbit Vivas and CJ Abrams' RBIs tied the game at 4-4.

Dylan Crews hit his sixth of the season in the eighth inning, a solo shot that cut the lead to 9-5.