Carlos Santana kick-starts Guardians' 8-run 6th in 8-6 win over Nationals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Carlos Santana kick-started an eight-run sixth inning with a bases-clearing double, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Nationals 8-6 on Wednesday to win two of three at Washington in a 24-hour span.

The Guardians sent 13 men to the plate in the sixth against Michael Soroka (0-2) and relievers Jorge Lopez and Andrew Chafin. The first seven reached, and all of them scored. Leadoff man Steven Kwan scored twice in Cleveland's biggest inning of the season.

Before the sixth, the Guardians had just two hits and eight strikeouts against Soroka, who made his second start for the Nationals after straining his right biceps in his March 31 debut.

But Cleveland rediscovered the relentless offense that produced nine runs in each game while splitting a doubleheader a day earlier. After a rainout Monday, the first game of Tuesday's twinbill began at 3:35 p.m. and Wednesday's regularly scheduled matinee concluded at 3:03 p.m.

Gabriel Arias had four hits for Cleveland, which has won seven of nine. Joey Cantillo (1-0) worked a scoreless fifth, and Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth for his eighth save.

Washington left 15 runners on base.

Key moment

Guardians reliever Cade Smith, who gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's first game, entered in the seventh with a four-run advantage. He allowed Amed Rosario's two-run single, then loaded the bases before retiring Alex Call on a flyball to right to preserve an 8-6 lead.

Key stat

Soroka's last scoreless outing of five innings or more was on July 24, 2020, his debut in that COVID-19-shortened season.

Up next

Guardians: Begin a three-game series against visiting Philadelphia on Friday night with Gavin Williams (2-2, 5.06 ERA) on the mound.

Nationals: Host St. Louis for a three-game series starting Friday night. Mitchell Parker (3-2, 3.48) is scheduled to start against the Cardinals' Erick Fedde (2-3, 4.78).

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