For the first time since the 2018 season, the Washington Nationals have a winning record in the month of May. Not just May either, but late May. Meaning the Nats have an opportunity to go a step further this year and hold an above-.500 record in the month of June, something we haven’t sniffed through the rebuild years thus far. And what a way they did it. The Nationals clubbed six home runs over the first five innings, including five against Cleveland starter, Tanner Bibee.

That unreal power surge was supplemented by Zack Littell‘s best start of the season, throwing the final seven innings after PJ Poulin took care of the first two, and with that, the Nationals are now a 28-27 team. What a dream this season has been so far, let’s get into what was one of the most fun wins of the season.

Well that was a marathon. The Nationals sat through a rain delay at the beginning of this game as a system moved through the Atlanta area, just to be interrupted again in the seventh inning, this time for two hours. Similar to yesterday’s game, there was not much offense to speak of, but RBI singles by Nasim Nunez and Luis Garcia Jr. were all the Nats needed in this one as Foster Griffin and the bullpen delivered another brilliant performance. Griffin and company headed a huge effort as the Nats battled back to win the series in Atlanta and bring their record back to .500.

A few of you guys got on me last Friday so I’ll give credit where it’s due, the bullpen these past two games was magnificent. They must have caught my thoughts in Friday’s postgame article, but if that’s what it takes — I’ll gladly do it again. All jokes aside, the Nats’ bullpen did an unbelievable job yesterday, and did just the same today, as the Nationals held the best offense in baseball to one run over the last 18 innings of the series.

The Nationals, for the second time this week, have dropped a heartbreaking extra-innings game against a division rival. Just like Monday night, the Nats had numerous opportunities to put this game away and in the win column, but could not get the job done.

Interestingly enough, considering it was a hard loss, there were plenty of positives to hang our hats on tonight. Miles Mikolas did an excellent job with potentially a rotation spot on the line, tossing five scoreless innings. CJ Abrams was magnificent, coming up with a clutch homer in the eighth and a huge two-run triple in the tenth in front of a full contingent of his family and friends. The negatives? Same as usual. The Nationals’ bullpen just isn’t good at all, and the bottom of their batting order just might be worse.