CJ Abrams' 3-run blast propels Nationals past Mets

Field Level Media|published: Wed 20th May, 21:26 2026

May 20, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Zack Littell (18) pitches against the New York Mets during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

CJ Abrams hit a three-run homer, Zack Littell pitched five solid innings and the Washington Nationals beat the visiting New York Mets 8-4 on Wednesday.

Jacob Young homered and doubled while Abrams added a single and scored twice for Washington, which has won two in a row after dropping the series opener.

Littell (3-4) won his second straight start, giving up two runs on five hits. He struck out three without a walk. Andrew Alvarez allowed two runs over four innings to earn his first career save.

New York's Juan Soto hit two home runs against his former team, giving him three in the past two games.

Zach Thornton (0-1) made his major league debut for the Mets, and he gave up Abrams' homer and allowed four runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old left-hander struck out three and walked two.

Washington's Curtis Mead singled with one out in the first. Andres Chaparro walked, and Abrams hit his 10th home run of the season, a 389-foot shot to right-center, to make it 3-0.

New York's Mark Vientos doubled leading off the second and later scored on a single by Brett Baty.

Nasim Nunez walked leading off the bottom of the second, stole second and took third on a throwing error by catcher Hayden Senger, then scored on a single by Keibert Ruiz.

Soto homered with two outs in the third to pull New York within 4-2.

The Nationals added on in the sixth against Mets reliever Austin Warren. Abrams led off with a single and went to third on a single by Dylan Crews. Abrams scored on a sacrifice fly by Daylen Lile, and Young doubled Crews to third. Craig Kimbrel come on for New York, and Nunez bunted down toward first, scoring Crews to make it 6-2.

New York cut the deficit in half in the eighth. Bo Bichette lined a single to left with two outs and Soto followed with his second homer of the game and ninth of the season, a shot to right that made it 6-4.

Washington got the runs back in the bottom half when Lile doubled with two outs and Young homered to left-center. It was Young's sixth long ball of the season.

--Field Level Media

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