WASHINGTON (Interstat) — James Wood hit a grand slam in a six-run fifth inning as the Washington Nationals rallied from a five-run deficit and held on for a 12-11 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday at Nationals Park.

The win before a crowd of 11,092 in two hours 46 minutes moved Washington to 47-45, while Houston fell to 45-48.

Curtis Mead went three for five with a home run and three RBIs for the Nationals, and CJ Abrams also finished three for five with a homer and three RBIs. Wood’s grand slam was his 24th home run of the season, and he finished one for two with a walk and four RBIs. Miles Mikolas, who allowed seven runs on nine hits over six innings, earned the win to improve to 3-7. Clayton Beeter pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his seventh save, striking out one and allowing no hits.

Brice Matthews homered and drove in three runs for Houston, going two for four. Yainer Diaz also homered and had two RBIs on two hits. Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer in the second inning, his ninth of the season, and Christian Walker drove in a run with a double. Mike Burrows took the loss, falling to 4-9, after allowing six runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Houston jumped ahead in the first inning. With two outs, Isaac Paredes walked and Christian Walker doubled to center, scoring Paredes for a 1-0 lead.

The Astros extended the margin in the second. Braden Shewmake singled and Brice Matthews singled to put runners at first and second. Altuve then homered to left, scoring Shewmake and Matthews to make it 4-0. Yordan Alvarez followed with a single, but the inning ended with Paredes popping out.

Washington got one run back in the bottom of the first when James Wood walked, stole second — though the play-by-play shows no steal but a walk and then a double — and scored on Curtis Mead’s double to center, making it 4-1.

Houston struck again in the third. Cam Smith walked and Yainer Diaz homered to left, scoring Smith and pushing the lead to 6-1.

The Nationals answered emphatically in the bottom of the third. Nasim Nuñez singled, Wood walked and Luis García Jr. doubled to left, scoring Nuñez and moving Wood to third. Mead singled to left, scoring Wood and sending García to third. Abrams then homered to right, a three-run shot that tied the game at 6-6.

The game stayed tied until the fifth. Mead led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer to left-center, giving Washington a 7-6 lead. Abrams singled, then Dylan Crews reached on an error by shortstop Braden Shewmake, putting runners at first and second. Daylen Lile flied out, but Jacob Young singled to load the bases. Drew Millas hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Abrams to make it 8-6.

A challenge on a play at first base overturned an out call, allowing Nuñez to single and reload the bases. Wood then hit a grand slam to center, scoring Crews, Young and Nuñez, and giving Washington a 12-6 lead.

Houston chipped away in the sixth. Cam Smith singled, Yainer Diaz singled and Smith moved to third. Braden Shewmake grounded into a double play, but Smith scored to cut the deficit to 12-7.

In the eighth, the Astros mounted a comeback. LaMonte Wade Jr. walked, Cam Smith singled and Yainer Diaz grounded into a force out, but Wade advanced to third. Shewmake doubled to right, scoring Wade and sending Diaz to third. Brice Matthews then homered to left, a three-run blast that brought the Astros within one at 12-11.

Beeter entered and retired the next batter, Altuve, on a groundout to end the eighth. He then pitched a perfect ninth, striking out Yordan Alvarez, getting Isaac Paredes to ground out and Christian Walker to line out to center, securing the save.

Nate Pearson pitched a scoreless inning for Houston, allowing one hit and striking out one. Enyel De Los Santos also worked a scoreless inning, striking out two.

For Washington, Beeter’s relief work was key. He faced five batters and retired four, including two in the ninth with the tying run at the plate.

Mead’s performance extended a hot stretch. In his previous four games, he had gone two for four against Pittsburgh on July 5, one for four on July 4, two for five at Boston on July 1, and zero for four on June 30.

Houston entered the game having won two of its previous three, including a 10-8 victory over Tampa Bay on July 4 and a 2-0 win on July 5. Washington had lost its previous two games, falling 11-5 and 7-1 to Pittsburgh on July 4 and July 5.

The two teams will meet again Tuesday and Wednesday at Nationals Park to complete the series. Houston then travels to Texas for a three-game set beginning Friday, while Washington hosts the New York Yankees for a weekend series.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Washington 6, Houston 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave Houston a 51.40 percent probability to win. Washington was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 23 runs went under the over/under line of 9.5.