Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams reacts after hitting a solo home run, his second of the game, during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin heads to the dugout after pitching to the Washington Nationals in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Ramón Laureano is unable to catch a solo home run by Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams reacts after hitting a solo home run, his second of the game, during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
CJ Abrams hits 2 of Nats’ 5 homers in 10-4 win for 3-game sweep of skidding Orioles
BALTIMORE (AP) — CJ Abrams went deep on the first two pitches he saw from Zach Eflin, and the Washington Nationals hit five homers in a 10-4 victory over the free-falling Baltimore Orioles on Sunday for a three-game sweep.
Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams reacts after hitting a solo home run, his second of the game, during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
BALTIMORE (AP) — CJ Abrams went deep on the first two pitches he saw from Zach Eflin, and the Washington Nationals hit five homers in a 10-4 victory over the free-falling Baltimore Orioles on Sunday for a three-game sweep.
Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews also connected against Eflin (3-2) during a six-run second inning that helped Washington complete its first sweep of the season.
Josh Bell’s solo shot off Brian Baker completed Washington’s first five-homer game since Sept. 29, 2023. Abrams also doubled.
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Cedric Mullins homered, doubled and contributed his team-leading 26th and 27th RBIs for Baltimore, which has lost six straight and 12 of 14, the final two of those .
Gunnar Henderson also homered off Michael Soroka (1-2) in the sixth, and Jackson Holliday connected off Brad Lord in the seventh.
The 31-year-old Eflin allowed 10 hits and a career worst-tying eight earned runs over 5 1/3 innings, last matched in 2017.
Key moment
While set the tone, an inning later pushed Washington’s early lead to five. It also came on the first pitch, an 89 mph sinker in the middle of the zone that Crews drove into the Orioles bullpen.
Key stat
Half of Abrams’ eight homers this have come in leadoff at-bats. He has 11 career leadoff homers with Washington, moving within three of Alfonso Soriano for the most since the franchise moved from Montreal in 2005.
Up next
Nationals: Left-hander Mitchell Parker makes his second consecutive start against Atlanta to open a home series on Tuesday. He allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings, receiving a no-decision in Wednesday’s 5-4 win.
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Orioles: Right-hander Dean Kremer looks to become the first Baltimore pitcher to record a second victory this month in the opener of a four-game set at Milwaukee on Monday.
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