The Washington Nationals put on a power display for the ages on Tuesday night, hammering a season-high six home runs in a 10-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. It was a night that showcased the young core of this Nationals team, and for fans of the game, it was a glimpse of just how explosive this lineup can be.
James Wood got the party started with his 12th homer of the season, but the real story was the duo of Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile. Each player went deep twice, making them the sixth pair of Nationals teammates to hit two homers in the same game. The last time Washington saw that kind of twin power? Brian Dozier and Juan Soto back on August 18, 2019.
Brady House also joined the fun with a two-run shot in the eighth, rounding out a night that saw the Nationals surpass their previous single-game high of four homers, set earlier this month against Minnesota. With 50 home runs on the season, this team is proving they can rake.
The fireworks started in the third inning, when Wood and Garcia went back-to-back off Reds starter Brady Singer. Lile added a solo shot in the fourth, then Garcia led off the fifth with another homer. Lile wasn't done, though—he capped the inning with a three-run blast that pushed the lead to 7-2.
On the mound, Brad Lord (2-0) was the unsung hero, tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Miles Mikolas. Mikolas battled through 3 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs (one earned). The Nationals' bullpen held firm, while the Reds struggled to capitalize, going just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
One scary moment came in the second inning, when Singer took a line drive off his right foot from Lile's bat. The Reds starter stayed in the game after being checked by trainers, and X-rays later came back clean—a relief for Cincinnati.
The Nationals improved to 14-9 on the road, the second-best mark in the majors behind only the Braves. They'll look to keep rolling Wednesday night when Jake Irvin (1-4, 5.22 ERA) takes the mound against Reds lefty Nick Lodolo (0-1, 6.75).
For Nationals fans, this was a night to remember—and a reminder that the future is bright in Washington.