Nationals score early and often, break down Guardians for easy win

Curtis Mead hit two of Washington's six home runs and the Nationals rolled to a 10-2 win against the Guardians on Monday in Cleveland for their third straight win.

James Wood had four hits, including a home run, and Luis Garcia Jr. had three hits, including a two-run homer and a two-run single.

Jacob Young and CJ Abrams also homered for the Nationals (28-27), who are 17-11 since April 25 and moved above .500 for the first time since March 31. It is the latest they have been above .500 since July 1, 2021.

After opener PJ Poulin gave up a run in two innings, Zack Littell (4-4) allowed a run on five hits over seven innings, his longest outing of the season. He struck out a season-high seven batters and walked two.

Rhys Hoskins homered for the Guardians, who have lost two of three.

Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-7) allowed seven runs on eight hits -- five of them home runs -- in three innings.

The Guardians had not allowed more than three runs in any of their past eight games and the Nationals equaled that in each of the first two innings.

Wood led off the game with his 14th homer of the season. It was his fourth leadoff homer of the season, tops in the Majors. Garcia doubled and Mead followed with a home run to make it 3-0.

Young led off the second inning with a homer to left center. With two outs, Wood singled and Garcia homered to make it 6-0.

Hoskins homered off Poulin in the second to pull the Guardians within 6-1.

Abrams led off the third inning with his 12th homer of the season and the lead was 7-1.

In the Cleveland fourth, Kyle Manzardo walked and scored when Angel Martinez doubled.

Mead homered with one out in the fifth and Washington led 8-2. It was his first career multi-homer game.

Garcia pushed the lead to 10-2 when he singled up the middle with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth.

--Field Level Media