Taj Bradley strikes out 11 as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Washington Nationals 5-0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Taj Bradley tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, Isaac Paredes homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Sunday.

Bradley (3-4) allowed three hits and walked two over 5 2/3 innings in his fifth consecutive strong start. The right-hander has allowed four earned runs in 29 innings over the stretch.

“I felt like every pitch was going for strikes,” Bradley said.

Bradley has a sparkling 0.64 ERA (two earned runs in 28 innings) in his last five home starts.

“Threw some good splitters, and we chased some balls out of the zone,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said.

Colin Poche, Jason Adam, Garrett Cleavinger and Phil Maton completed a three-hitter. The Rays finished with a season-high 16 strikeouts.

Paredes, who had two hits in 23 at-bats over his previous seven games, went 3 for 4 and scored two runs. He needed a single for the cycle when he flied out against Tanner Rainey in the eighth.

“I think I just put a little bit of pressure on myself at the end to get that hit,” Paredes said through a translator.

Only two Tampa Bay players, Evan Longoria in 2017 and B.J. Upton in 2009, have hit for the cycle.

José Caballero and Randy Arozarena also homered for the Rays (42-42), who returned to the .500 mark for the 17th time. Tampa Bay hasn't been over .500 since May 21.

Washington (39-44) went 3-6 on a nine-game trip.

Nationals top prospect James Wood didn’t play Saturday and Sunday for Triple-A Rochester amid reports he will make his major league debut on Monday night against the New York Mets.

“If he’s there, get him in a lineup and have him play,” Martinez said.

The 21-year-old Wood was acquired in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres and is considered one of baseball's top prospects. The 6-foot-7, 234-pound outfielder has shown impressive power in the minors.

CJ Abrams, also acquired in the Soto deal, went 1 for 2 with two walks. He is hitting .455 (25 for 55) in his last 15 games.

Paredes hit a first-pitch homer leading off the second and Caballero connected for a two-run drive off Patrick Corbin (1-8) as Tampa Bay opened a 3-0 lead.

Paredes hit his second career triple and first since June 9, 2021, to start the fourth. He scored on Jose Siri’s sacrifice fly.

“Every day in BP, every time I hit a ball down the line and I always tell (manager Kevin Cash) and the coaches that’s going to be a triple and they never believed me,” Paredes said with a smile.

Arozarena hit a seventh-inning solo drive off Jordan Weems.

Corbin gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Josiah Gray (right elbow-forearm flexor strain) allowed seven runs and six hits over three innings in his second rehab start with Triple-A Rochester and fifth minor league outing overall. He threw 43 of 73 pitches for strikes.

UP NEXT

Nationals: LHP MacKenzie Gore (6-7, 3.60 ERA) and New York Mets LHP David Peterson (3-0, 3.67 ERA) are Monday night’s scheduled starters

Rays: RHP Zack Littell (2-5, 4.17 ERA) will face Kansas City RHP Brady Singer (4-4, 3.12 ERA) on Tuesday night.

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