JJ Bleday -- General News

The Cincinnati Reds overwhelmed the Washington Nationals 15-1 on May 14, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in a decisive offensive showcase. After dropping the previous two games of the series to the rebuilding Nationals, the Reds' offense exploded against Nationals starter Foster Griffin. JJ Bleday led the offensive onslaught with a 3-for-5 performance including 2 home runs and 6 RBIs, with his most impactful hit being a 3-run homer off Griffin. Additional offensive contributions came from Dane Myers, who hit a 3-run home run, and Ke'Bryan Hayes, who recorded 2 hits including a home run.

On the pitching side, Reds ace Chase Burns was dominant, delivering 6.0 innings of scoreless baseball on just 95 pitches. He allowed only 2 hits and 2 walks while recording 7 strikeouts, improving his season ERA to 1.87. Burns was making his 17th career start in the major leagues. The decisive pitching performance combined with the early offensive explosion allowed Cincinnati to cruise to victory and set up a weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians.

The Cincinnati Reds dominated the Washington Nationals 15-1 on Thursday, with multiple home runs powering the decisive victory. JJ Bleday led the offensive outburst with two home runs and six RBIs, including a three-run shot in the fifth inning and a solo homer in the seventh. Matt McLain and Dane Myers also contributed homers, while Spencer Steer added two hits and three runs scored. Elly De La Cruz extended his streak to six consecutive multi-hit games with two hits and two runs. On the mound, Chase Burns delivered his fourth straight quality start, pitching six shutout innings while allowing just two hits and striking out seven with a 1.87 ERA. Washington's Foster Griffin was ineffective, surrendering nine runs on seven hits over 4⅓ innings after coming off three consecutive quality starts. The Reds, who had lost 10 of 12 games entering Thursday, salvaged the three-game series with the decisive win.