Nationals halt sweep with dominant pitching performance against Cubs
Washington pitcher carries no-hitter into seventh before Michael Busch breaks it up; Abimelec Ortiz powers offensive surge
The Washington Nationals avoided a three-game series sweep against the Chicago Cubs with a decisive 7-0 victory on Thursday, anchored by a career-defining pitching performance from Cade Cavalli. The right-hander carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Michael Busch broke it up with an opposite-field bloop single to left field with two outs.
Cavalli, who turns 28 on Friday, retired the first 15 batters he faced before walking Dansby Swanson to open the sixth inning. Swanson was subsequently erased on a double play initiated by Michael Conforto. Despite walking Swanson again with two outs in the eighth, Cavalli struck out Conforto to conclude his start, finishing with a career-high eight innings pitched, 10 strikeouts, and only one walk.
The Nationals Park crowd applauded Cavalli as he approached the historic mark, noting this was the first potential no-hitter for the franchise since Max Scherzer threw two in 2015. Cavalli threw 103 pitches in the win, improving his record to 10-5. Closer Clayton Beeter secured the shutout by pitching a perfect ninth inning.
Offensively, the Nationals broke through against Cubs starter Kevin Gausman in the fourth inning. After Abimelec Ortiz singled with one out, Dylan Crews added an RBI double to left-center. The scoring intensified in the fifth, where Ortiz hit a three-run home run to right-center, extending the lead to 5-0. Daylen Lile contributed an RBI single later in the frame to end Gausman’s day.
Gausman (6-11) allowed six runs over 4 2/3 innings in his second start since joining the Cubs from Toronto at the trade deadline. Ortiz has been a key contributor during the Nationals' six-game homestand, batting .389 with three home runs and seven RBIs in that span.
