Joey Meneses delivered a two-out single in the eighth inning to cap a comeback as the Washington Nationals ended a four-game losing streak by defeating the visiting Cleveland Guardians 7-6 on Sunday afternoon.

Jeimer Candelario went 4-for-5 with a home run, Luis Garcia smacked a two-run home run and Lane Thomas doubled twice for the Nationals. Meneses and Stone Garrett both had two hits.

Washington trailed 6-3 before scoring two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings. Thomas hit a game-tying sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and Dominic Smith walked before Meneses drove in CJ Abrams.

Mason Thompson (1-1) was the winning pitcher with an inning of shutout relief before Kyle Finnegan worked the ninth for his third save.

Cleveland’s Steven Kwan drove in two runs and Josh Bell roped a run-scoring double against one of his former teams. Kwan, Bell, Mike Zunino and Myles Straw all had two hits.

The Guardians lost for the third time in their last five games. In 13 of Cleveland’s last 14 games, the final margin has been one or two runs.

The Nationals improved to 2-7 at home.

Patrick Corbin gave up four runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings as Washington’s starter. He struck out four without walking a batter.

Guardians starter Shane Bieber surrendered three runs and nine hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Nick Sandlin (1-1) took the loss, charged with two runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Washington led 2-0 after two innings. Thomas doubled in the first inning and scored on Candelario’s one-out single. Thomas then doubled in a run in the second.

Cleveland used doubles from Zunino, Will Brennan and Bell along with two Nationals errors to put together a four-run third inning. Kwan had RBI singles in the third and seventh innings.

Washington posted a run in the bottom of the third on Candelario’s third home run of the season.

The Nationals pulled within 6-5 on Garcia’s second home run of the season in the seventh.

–Field Level Media