Riding momentum from sweep, Nationals ready for Pirates, Paul Skenes

Fresh off their first three-game road sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in 20 years, the Washington Nationals will try to keep their momentum going when they face the Pirates and ace Paul Skenes on Monday night in the first contest of a four-game series in Pittsburgh.

The Nationals will aim for four wins in a row as Cade Cavalli (0-0, 2.51 ERA) will oppose fellow right-hander Skenes (2-1, 5.25), who has pitched more like the reigning National League Cy Young winner that he is over his past two starts.

Washington enters the series with plenty of confidence, however, after sweeping Milwaukee for the first time since 2011 and for the first time on the road since June 2006. The Nationals got offensive contributions from multiple sources throughout the series, including James Wood, who homered for the fourth time in seven games on Sunday in an 8-6 win.

Keibert Ruiz delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single to put the Nationals ahead for good in the eighth.

"Starters, bench, we just kept rising to the occasion all the way around," Nationals manager Blake Butera said. "Guys kept coming up big in different situations. They're just all able to contribute one through nine as starters."

Cavalli made his lone career start against the Pirates last Sept. 14 in Washington, D.C. He gave up three runs on five hits, walked four and struck out two over five innings, leaving with a no-decision in a 4-3 Washington win.

The Nationals would love to see more length from Cavalli, their Opening Day starter, as he has only made it past the fifth inning once in three starts this season.

Cavalli pitched 4 2/3 innings in his most recent outing last Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out three but walked four batters in his team's 7-6, 10-inning loss.

The Nats' bullpen potentially suffered a big loss Sunday when reliever Ken Waldichuk exited the game in the seventh inning with an apparent arm injury. Waldichuk, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024, bounced in a pitch and appeared to be in discomfort, pointing to his inner left elbow during a medical visit to the mound.

"There's definitely some concern," Butera said after the game.

Pittsburgh suffered a frustrating 7-6 loss to the Cubs on Sunday in Chicago after leading 5-0 in the third inning. But the Pirates took two of three games from the Cubs, and Pittsburgh's offense has shown noticeable improvement. Oneil Cruz continued to be one of those bright spots after extending his hitting streak to a career-high-tying 11 games with a 422-foot leadoff home run Sunday.

Skenes had a disastrous Opening Day outing on March 26 against the New York Mets when he recorded only two outs and gave up five earned runs. Since then, he has allowed only two runs over 11 1/3 innings on five hits and four walks. He has struck out 11 over that stretch.

In Skenes' most recent start, he gave up one run on two hits and two walks in a 7-1 win against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. He struck out six over 6 1/3 innings. Skenes carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, broken up by Fernando Tatis Jr.'s single, and he gave up his lone run on a solo home run by Xander Bogaerts in the seventh.

Skenes won his lone career start against Washington on April 14, 2025, allowing one earned run on three hits and struck out six over six innings in a 10-3 victory.

"Long way to go, so I'm excited to see what it turns into, 'cause I don't even think we're playing our best baseball yet, which is scary to think about," Skenes said. "It's gonna be a lot of fun."

--Field Level Media