Hassell hits 1st major league homer and Nationals rout Mariners 9-0

SEATTLE (AP) — Robert Hassell III had three hits and two RBIs, including his first major league home run, and James Wood also went deep as the Washington Nationals routed the Seattle Mariners 9-0 on Wednesday night.

Luis García Jr. and Josh Bell launched consecutive homers to help back Trevor Williams (3-5), who tossed six splendid innings. Bell finished with three hits and Wood drove in three runs.

Playing his sixth major league game, Hassell hit a solo homer in the eighth to make it 7-0. The touted rookie began the night batting .118 (2 for 17) with one RBI since making his debut last Thursday.

The 23-year-old Hassell was drafted eighth overall by San Diego in 2020 and traded to Washington — along with Wood, CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore — for Juan Soto and Bell in a blockbuster deal at the August 2022 deadline.

Williams, who had a career-low 2.03 ERA in 2024, has struggled this season and owned a 7.45 ERA in May entering this one. But the veteran right-hander needed just 77 pitches to make it through six innings while yielding only three hits — all singles — and striking out two in his best start of the year.

Seattle right-hander George Kirby (0-2) encountered early trouble in his second start of the season. He gave up consecutive solo homers to García and Bell in the second. Wood connected in the fifth to make it 6-0.

Key moment

Kirby got seven straight outs before unraveling in the fourth. A two-out walk to García preceded an RBI single by Hassell and Jose Tena's two-run double.

Key stat

Wood is tied for fourth in the National League with 15 homers.

Up next

Gore (2-5, 3.47 ERA) starts Thursday against Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock (2-2, 5.95) to close the three-game series.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB