Instant Analysis: Nats 8, Red Sox 1

In an emotional game that included a benches-clearing brawl, Cade Cavalli wound up striking out 13 over seven innings of one-hit ball

Photo by Billy Sabatini / ALL-PRO REELS

BOSTON – Cade Cavalli set off Willson Contreras. Then he proceeded to set down everybody else in the Red Sox lineup.

In an emotional game that included a full-fledged, benches-clearing brawl after Cavalli struck out Contreras in the bottom of the fourth, the Nationals’ young ace ultimately stole the show with the best start of his career: seven innings of one-hit, 13-strikeout ball at Fenway Park.

Cavalli was already cruising when he struck out Contreras looking at a breaking ball for the second out of the fourth inning. The right-hander appeared to say something that upset Contreras, who jawed back and caused both benches and bullpens to empty. The Boston first baseman (who was ejected during Monday’s game for taunting an umpire) wound up trying to throw his helmet at Cavalli but struck countryman Andrés Chaparro instead. Once order was restored, four people were ejected: Contreras, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy and Miles Mikolas and Nate Eaton (who tussled with each other during the brawl).

A clearly steamed Cavalli used the long delay to reset himself and then got right back to work overwhelming the Boston hitters. He proceeded to retire the final 19 batters he faced, hopping off the mound after striking out Jarren Duran to end the seventh on his 100th pitch and returning to joyous handshakes in the dugout.

The Nationals, who trailed 1-0 at the time of the brawl, immediately tied the game in the fifth on James Wood’s 109-mph single to center. They then took the lead in the seventh on Keibert Ruiz’s RBI single and proceeded to pour it on late, getting a two-run double from Luis García Jr., a homer from CJ Abrams, a two-run double from Ruiz and an RBI double from Wood to open up an 8-1 lead in the eighth.

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: Though he didn’t get the start against a left-hander, García still made his impact on this game in a big way. Two innings after pinch-hitting for Chaparro, he came up to bat in the top of the seventh against reliever Greg Weissert and drilled a two-out, two-run double off the Green Monster to extend the Nationals’ lead. García had already secured a fantastic month. Now he finished it off with one more clutch hit, giving him 27 RBI in 26 games played in June.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: Set aside what happened in the bottom of the fourth and just consider what Cavalli did from a pitching standpoint tonight. It was utterly dominant, and it was by far the best start of his still-burgeoning career. His fastball averaged nearly 98 mph, topping out at 100 mph. His breaking balls had bite. He pounded the zone (73-of-100 pitches for strikes). And he overwhelmed Boston’s hitters. After giving up a quick run in the first inning, Cavalli proceeded to retire 19 consecutive batters (12 of those via strikeout), all with the chaos of the fourth-inning brawl sandwiched in the middle of all that. Blake Butera said of Cavalli’s last start (six innings of one-run ball against the Phillies: “That’s what a No. 1 does.” He took it to an even higher level tonight.

NOTABLE: Wood’s 441-foot homer Monday night appears to have gotten the previously slumping slugger back on track. He followed that up with three hits and two RBI tonight.

UP NEXT: This suddenly explosive series will wrap up with a 1:35 p.m. matinee Wednesday. It’ll be Andrew Alvarez against Payton Tolle, the third consecutive lefty to start for Boston. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM