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AP. Cleveland’s Mike Zunino runs to home plate and scores during the third inning against the Nationals on Sunday in Washington.
WASHINGTON – Washington tied the game on a review call in the eighth inning, Joey Meneses followed with an RBI single two batters later, and the Nationals beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-6 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep. that sweep.
Jeimer Candelario and Luis Garcia returned home to Washington, winning at home for the second time in nine tries this season. The Nationals have lost four straight by a combined six runs.
“That can turn your moon back, turn back the clock just to get the momentum in your favor and say ‘Hey, guys, we can win these close games,'” left fielder Stone Garrett.
Steven Kwan drove in two runs for the Guardians, who fell to 7-3 on the road.
In the eighth, plate umpire Ryan Blakney initially called Garrett home while tagging Lane Thomas’ one-out fly to center, but replay officials ruled that catcher Mike Zunino blocked the plate and allowed in the course of counting and tying it to 6.
“It was a close call, but there’s no doubt I’ll challenge the whole game,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “It was close. We have to give it a chance. “
Garrett said he knew Zunino was blocking the plate as he ran home from third and tried to slide off the catcher’s leg instead of hitting Zunino.
“I understand why they did it, (but) I still think it puts the catcher in a tough spot because the game is fast,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “Z’s contention is that when he sees the hop, he maneuvers to make the play. I totally understand that. I don’t think if you slow it down, that’s fair to the player.
Trevor Stephan relieved Nick Sandlin (1-1) after the replay decision and walked Dominic Smith. Meneses then singled to right to drive in CJ Abrams.
Mason Thompson (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Kyle Finnegan managed the ninth for his third save.
Cleveland scored four runs in the third against Washington starter Patrick Corbin, starting with consecutive doubles and then Myles Straw reached on an Abrams error. Kwan followed with an RBI single, and Straw came close when catcher Keibert Ruiz tried to get him to third that got past Candelario. Former National Josh Bell’s two-out RBI double scored Kwan.
Corbin allowed four runs, two of them earned, in six innings.
The Guardians extended their lead to 6-3 in the seventh with two runs from Hobie Harris. Garcia’s two-run blast off Tim Herrin in the bottom of the inning brought Washington back within one. This is the first time in five games that the Nationals scored after the fourth inning.
“We jumped out and took the lead, we had to tack on some runs late in the games,” Martinez said. “They’re doing that now.”
Washington opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI single by Candelario. Thomas added a two-RBI double in the second, and Candelario led off the third with his third homer, a drive just inside the right-field foul pole that was part of a four-hit day.
Cleveland starter Shane Bieber allowed three runs and struck out four in six innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: Francona said SS Amed Rosario is out of the lineup because of a balky back and is day-to-day.
NEXT
Guardians: Cleveland’s road trip continues Monday in Detroit. RHP Hunter Gaddis (0-1, 8.53 ERA) faced the Tigers for the first time in his career.
National: Washington has no work on Monday. RHP Josiah Gray (0-3, 4.32) started Tuesday when Baltimore arrived for a two-game series.