CLEVELAND -- For most of the 2026 season, any conversation about the Nationals' success has started with their offense.
While the Nats’ offense once again showed up in their 6-3 win over the Guardians on Tuesday night at Progressive Field, starting pitcher Cade Cavalli did his part to change that conversation by allowing just one run over six innings for his third straight quality start.
Cavalli spent most of the contest making quick work of Cleveland’s offense, as he permitted just three baserunners through the first three innings, while allowing just one of those runners to reach second base.
Cavalli ran into a bit more trouble in the later innings and saw Cleveland load the bases against him in the fifth inning, but he was able to wiggle out of it by getting José Ramírez to hit a sacrifice fly and Chase DeLauter to line out to Jacob Young.
The Guardians got another runner into scoring position an inning later, but Cavalli once again got out of it with a strikeout of Angel Martínez and a Steven Kwan lineout.
While Cavalli didn’t reach the heights he did against the Braves at the end of April, when he racked up a season-high 10 strikeouts, he did generate 13 whiffs and was able to get four strikeouts with his knuckle curve and three with his fastball.
Even if the Nats’ offense wasn’t the main storyline, the unit still answered the call with a four-run second inning that knocked Guardians starter Joey Cantillo out of the game.
Keibert Ruiz provided the first big blow with a two-run single before James Wood launched a towering two-run homer for his second blast in as many games.
Andrés Chaparro added on two more runs in the ninth on a two-out single.