Wood’s Power Swing Lifts Nationals Past Padres in May Finale

The Washington Nationals scraped together just enough pop to outlast the San Diego Padres 4-2 on Sunday at Nationals Park, sending the home crowd home satisfied in the final day of May. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t dominant. But it was effective, and that’s all that matters in the standings.

James Wood was the story here, and rightfully so. The Nationals’ outfielder unleashed a vicious two-run blast in the fifth inning that traveled 113.8 mph off the bat, the kind of swing that makes you sit up in your seat and pay attention. That blast, combined with Luis García Jr.‘s solo shot in the fourth, gave Washington a 3-0 cushion that proved to be just enough breathing room against a Padres lineup that simply couldn’t find consistent offensive rhythm.

The Padres staged a valiant comeback attempt in the seventh, when Ty France doubled sharply down the line and Xander Bogaerts scored to make it 3-1. Nick Castellanos followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Jackson Merrill, cutting the lead to one. For a moment, there was genuine tension. For a moment, it felt like San Diego might steal this one. But the Nationals got the job done when it mattered most, with Andrés Chaparro driving in an insurance run with a double in the bottom of the frame to seal it at 4-2.

Littell Delivers When It Counts

Zack Littell was the unsung hero for Washington. The right-hander worked six solid innings, scattering five hits while punching out five Padres batters. He didn’t blow anyone away, but he kept the damage minimal and gave his offense a chance to work. That’s the definition of a quality start, even if his final line doesn’t jump off the page. Griffin Canning took the loss for San Diego after allowing three runs across five innings, a pedestrian outing that ultimately doomed the visitors.

Clayton Beeter came out of the bullpen for Washington to close things out, working a scoreless ninth to pick up the save. It was a workmanlike performance, nothing fancy, just strikes and competence when it mattered most.

Merrill’s Eye Can’t Overcome Padres’ Struggles

Jackson Merrill went 3-for-4 for San Diego and looked like one of the few Padres hitters who truly belonged in this game. His aggressive approach and consistent contact kept San Diego from getting completely shut down, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for the offensive failures elsewhere in the lineup. This is a Padres team that should be better than what we saw on Sunday, and they know it.

The bottom line: Washington escaped with a win that felt a bit closer than the final score suggests. The Nationals’ power stroke proved decisive, Wood and García Jr. doing the heavy lifting when it mattered. The Padres had their chances in that seventh inning stretch but couldn’t quite close the gap. Sometimes that’s all there is to it in baseball. Good teams win the close ones. On Sunday, that was Washington.