Nationals Rout Mets 14-2 Behind House Grand Slam and Dominant Cavalli

The Washington Nationals routed the New York Mets 14-2 on Wednesday night at Citi Field, a result defined by offensive explosion and pitching dominance under rainy conditions. Brady House anchored the surge with his first career grand slam in the fourth inning, which capped a seven-run offensive outburst that set a season high for runs scored by the Nationals.

Cade Cavalli provided the structural backbone for the victory on the mound, pitching six innings and striking out 10 batters. His performance included a remarkable streak where the last 24 of his 97 pitches were strikes, marking the longest such sequence in the majors this season. This effort made him the first Washington pitcher to record at least 10 strikeouts in consecutive starts since Max Scherzer in July 2020.

Offensively, the Nationals displayed significant depth beyond House, with Curtis Mead homering and recording four hits while James Wood drove in three runs. Juan Soto contributed a home run against his former team for the second consecutive night, adding to a total of 15 hits for the visiting side. The victory allowed Washington to improve their away record to 11-7, a stark contrast to their 8-0 loss in the series opener.

For the Mets, the defeat highlighted ongoing struggles within their rotation and lineup. Pitcher David Peterson took the loss after allowing seven runs in just 3 2/3 innings, marking his return to the mound following a demotion to the bullpen. Freddy Peralta has now lost three straight starts, contributing to a broader trend where New York has lost 16 of their last 19 games.

The contest concluded with a sparse crowd in Queens, where the home team was booed after allowing their most runs of the season. As the series moves toward its finale, Miles Mikolas is scheduled to pitch for Washington, while the Mets look to regroup after another poor pitching performance at the back of their rotation.