Tena’s go-ahead double gives the Nationals a wild win over Guardians

MLB

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Washington Nationals third baseman José Tena hits an RBI double during the seventh inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Cleveland Guardians’ Carlos Santana hits a single during the ninth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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WASHINGTON >> José Tena hit a go-ahead, two-run double during a wild seventh inning, and the Washington Nationals rallied to beat the Cleveland Guardians 10-9 in the opener of a doubleheader on Tuesday after blowing a four-run lead in the top of the frame.

James Wood hit a 114.6 mph line drive into the Washington bullpen in the third inning, the 10th homer of the season for the Nationals’ second-year slugger. The two-run shot made it 3-2 in the first of two Washington rallies.

The Nationals were ahead 6-2 in the seventh when reliever Jose A. Ferrer allowed five of six batters to reach. Jhonkensy Noel started the Guardians’ surge with a pinch-hit RBI double. Cleveland went ahead 7-6 on a two-run single by Gabriel Arias, and Angel Martínez added an RBI infield hit.

Washington then scored four against Cade Smith (1-1) in the bottom half. Keibert Ruiz hit an RBI single and Dylan Crews broke out of a slump with a double that made it 8-all before Tena’s decisive double.

Jorge López (5-0) got two outs in the seventh and worked a scoreless eighth. Kyle Finnegan allowed a sacrifice fly to Arias in the ninth but closed it out for his 12th save.

Nationals starter Jake Irvin struggled with his command early but got through 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks.

Guardians 9, Nationals 1, Game 2 >> Carlos Santana broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the sixth inning and started a late onslaught by the Cleveland Guardians, who beat the Washington Nationals 9-1 on Tuesday night to split a doubleheader.

Daniel Schneemann and Austin Hedges also went deep for the Guardians, who scored 18 runs in the twinbill but lost the opener, 10-9. Cleveland has won six of eight.

Ben Lively (2-2) gave up a solo homer to Riley Adams, one of two hits he allowed over 5 1/3 innings.

Brad Lord (1-4) pitched a career-high six innings for Washington and was working on a shutout before Santana turned on an 0-2 fastball and sent it into the bullpen in right field with two outs in the sixth.

Steven Kwan’s RBI double capped a three-run seventh, Schneemann hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Hedges added a solo shot in the ninth.

Cardinals 2, Pirates 1 >> Alec Burleson hit a two-run double, Matthew Liberatore struck out eight in a season-high seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Liberatore (3-3) allowed just one run on three hits and three walks as the Cardinals won a season-high fourth game in a row. Gordon Graceffo earned his first career save with a perfect ninth.

Paul Skenes (3-4) allowed two runs on three hits in six innings, striking out six and walking four as Pittsburgh lost its sixth straight game and for the ninth time in its last 10 games. Skenes fell to 0-4 in five career starts against St. Louis.

Phillies 8, Rays 4 >> Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos all homered, and Zack Wheeler pitched seven solid innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 on Tuesday night.

Castellanos hit a three-run shot to break open a close game in the eighth, and finished 3 for 5 with four RBIs. Schwarber, who homered to put the Phillies on the board in the second, had three hits and two RBIs.

Bohm hit his first homer since last Sept. 20, a two-run shot in the second that made it 3-0. Harper and Trea Turner had two hits for Philadelphia, which has won seven of its last nine.

Wheeler (3-1) scattered four hits while walking none with nine strikeouts. His only blemishes came in the fourth, when Brandon Lowe led off with a double and Yandy Diaz followed with a two-run homer. Wheeler then retired 11 of his final 12.

Diaz (right leg) left the game with an 0-2 count in the bottom of the sixth after an awkward swing. Christopher Morel pinch hit for Diaz and flied out to end the inning.

Tampa Bay sold out Steinbrenner Field, its temporary home, for the 22nd time in 23 games.