Instant Analysis: Nats 6, Orioles 4
Luis García Jr. hit two more homers and drove in five runs, and the bullpen hung on to secure another victorious road series for the Nationals
BALTIMORE – Luis García Jr. provided all of the offense. Zack Littell provided five solid innings. And the Nationals’ beleaguered bullpen? Well, that group finally got the job done to secure another victorious road series.
Richard Lovelady and PJ Poulin combined to toss 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, with Poulin closing out the 6-4 win at Camden Yards to make sure García’s monster day at the plate (3-for-5, two homers, 5 RBI) didn’t go to waste.
Sent to the mound for the bottom of the eighth with a two-run lead, Poulin retired the side on 13 pitches. So manager Blake Butera sent him back to the mound for the bottom of the ninth, with newcomer Justin Lawrence warming in the bullpen just in case. Lawrence was never needed; Poulin issued a one-out walk to Coby Mayo but then got pinch-hitter Leody Taveras to ground into a game-ending double play for a six-out save.
Despite facing an early 2-0 deficit made possible by Pete Alonso’s first-inning homer off Littell, the Nationals wound up getting a solid five innings from their starter and then watched their offense explode for the first time this weekend, with García front and center.
García delivered a two-out, two-run double off Kyle Bradish in the top of the third, then scored moments later when Coby Mayo airmailed his throw to first on Curtis Mead’s grounder to third. When García came up to bat again in the fifth, the Orioles countered with reliever Tyler Wells. García proceeded to launch the second pitch of the at-bat to center for a two-run homer to extend the lead.
And when they needed some late insurance, he stepped to the plate again in the seventh against Albert Suarez and launched a 2-2 pitch to right-center that initially was ruled a double but was correctly overturned to another home run upon video review. That made him the first Nationals player with 10 homers in a month since Kyle Schwarber in June 2021 and one of only four major leaguers with six homers in six games since 2022.
Up by four runs late, the Nats still needed 12 outs from their beleaguered bullpen. Mitchell Parker gave them five straight in the sixth and seventh before surrendering a two-run homer to Jackson Holliday and then departing four pitches later alongside a trainer after his fastball velocity suddenly dropped more than 5 mph.
HITTING HIGHLIGHT: This was already shaping up to be the best month of García’s career. And he keeps adding to it before the calendar flips in a few days. García’s third-inning double came on the seventh pitch he saw from Bradish, driving in a pair to give the Nationals the lead. His fifth-inning homer came on a changeup from Wells, extending that lead. And then his seventh-inning homer came on the seventh pitch of his at-bat against Suarez. That blast was García’s sixth homer in six games, his 11th of the month and his 16th of the season. He’s also got 25 RBI in June with two more days to go to pad that total and further his case for NL Player of the Month consideration.
PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: Littell’s afternoon didn’t exactly get off to a great start, with Alonso taking him deep in the bottom of the first, the league-leading 22nd home run he has surrendered this season. But the right-hander settled in after that and gave his team what was needed: five solid innings. The Orioles didn’t score again off him, managing only one more hit. Littell did see his pitch count rise to 82 after five frames, prompting Butera to pull him at that point and entrust the rest of the game to his wobbly bullpen. But this wound up being an encouraging start for Littell, one that was sorely needed.
NOTABLE: Trevor Williams made his first competitive start in nearly a year this afternoon, taking the mound for Single-A Fredericksburg in his rehab debut. The 34-year-old right-hander, who last pitched July 2, 2025, before requiring an internal brace procedure on his elbow, allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits in only two-thirds of an inning before getting pulled with his pitch count up to 26. It remains to be seen what role the Nationals have in mind for Williams if and when he’s fully healthy.
UP NEXT: The Nats are shipping up to Boston for a three-game series at Fenway Park. Monday night’s 7:10 p.m. opener will see Miles Mikolas take the mound (possibly following an opener) against Red Sox lefty Ranger Suarez. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM
Luis Garcia really has emerged. After years of frustration in the field mixed with potential at the plate - he now has stepped forward as a leader of the team with a combo of power and timely hitting AND savvy play at first. Credit to him and the coaching staff for bringing out the best in his game.
This is exactly why I’ve been saying Poulin should be trusted for more than three outs. He is a veteran, and Butera treated him like one today. Poulin threw a clean eighth, went back out for the ninth, and finished it with a six out save. Butera also didn’t play pure matchup baseball; he trusted the pitcher who was getting outs. Lovelady did his job too, and for one day the bullpen actually got it done.
The story of the game is still Luis García Jr. though. Eleven homers in June and six in six games is not just a hot streak; that is putting the team on your back and carrying them.