The Washington Nationals and Cleveland Guardians will play a traditional doubleheader Tuesday after the opener of their three-game series was rained out on Monday night.
The first game is slated for 3:35 p.m., and with the series finale set for 12:05 on Wednesday, the entire series could be completed within 24 hours.
Washington completed a 3-3 road trip with a rain-soaked 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Cleveland has won five of six overall and is 2-1 on a six-game road swing after a 5-4 Sunday win at Toronto.
Guardians right-hander Luis Ortiz (2-3, 4.78 ERA) and Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin (2-1, 4.01), Monday’s scheduled pitchers, will work the first game on Tuesday.
Ortiz turned in his longest outing of the season in his last start, a no-decision against the Minnesota Twins. He tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out five in a game the Guardians won 4-2.
“We needed that from Luis to have a chance to win this game and I know he won’t get the win, but Luis won the game for us,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Just the efficiency, getting into the seventh that way and as many outs as you can.”
Ortiz is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two games versus Washington.
Irvin is looking to bounce back after his worst outing of the young season. Against the Phillies, he allowed six runs on eight hits — two of them homers — in six innings.
Irvin won his only career start against Cleveland, allowing two runs over six innings on June 2, 2024.
Cleveland sends right-hander Ben Lively (1-2, 3.72) against right-hander Brad Lord (1-3, 4.43) in Game 2.
Lively tossed 5 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball in a no-decision against the Minnesota Twins on May 1. He allowed five hits and struck out two without a walk.
Lively is 1-1 is 3.29 ERA in two starts against the Nationals.
Rookie Lord earned his first major league win last time out, allowing two runs in five innings against the Phillies. He struck out four and walked one.
“It was really just mixing and matching pitches, trying to keep them off-balance, really trying to keep them off the fastball,” Lord said. “Me and (catcher Keibert Ruiz) had a plan and executed a lot of off-speed pitches.”
Pitching in the rotation in place of the injured Michael Soroka, Lord has allowed only two runs in each of his last three starts. With Soroka about to return, the team will need to decide whether to keep Lord in Washington or option him to Triple-A Rochester.
Washington infielder Josh Bell was not in the lineup Monday and would have missed his third straight game while dealing with a groin issue.
“I’m being very cautious,” manager Dave Martinez said Monday. “We have played in some bad weather. He’s a big guy, so I want to make sure that he’s OK. But he’s definitely doing better.”
Bell is hitting .139 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 30 games.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase came on to protect a two-run lead Sunday. Possessing a 6.28 ERA, Clase began the inning with a throwing error and allowed a run before getting the final out of a 5-4 win for his seventh save.
“(There is) no one else on the planet I’d rather have on the mound in the ninth inning,” Vogt said of his closer.
–Field Level Media
