WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Cade Cavalli delivered six solid innings and the Washington Nationals built an early lead that withstood a late Toronto Blue Jays rally, defeating Toronto 8-6 on Tuesday night at Nationals Park.

The Nationals scored four runs in the first inning and added three more in the fourth to take a 7-2 lead, then held off a three-run eighth from Toronto to snap a two-game losing streak. Washington improved to 55-53, while the Blue Jays fell to 49-59.

Cavalli allowed six hits and two earned runs over six innings, striking out three and walking one. He earned his eighth win against four losses. Clayton Beeter recorded his 11th save with a scoreless ninth, striking out one and allowing no hits.

Shane Bieber took the loss for Toronto, his second against two wins. Bieber lasted only three-plus innings, giving up seven runs, six earned, on five hits and six walks. He struck out three.

The Nationals seized control immediately against Bieber in the bottom of the first. James Wood led off with a walk, and after Luis García Jr. grounded out, Dylan Crews walked. CJ Abrams then singled on a soft grounder to second baseman Luis Urías, loading the bases. Toronto challenged the call at first, but the ruling was upheld.

Keibert Ruiz walked to force in Wood, making it 1-0. Daylen Lile walked to force in Crews, and Nasim Nuñez lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Abrams. Jorbit Vivas walked to reload the bases, and Jacob Young drew a walk to force in Ruiz, giving Washington a 4-0 lead. Wood grounded out to end the inning.

Toronto got on the board in the third. Yohendrick Piñango walked with one out and moved to second on a forceout. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled to third base, and Nathan Lukes scored on the hit when third baseman Jorbit Vivas threw the ball away, allowing Guerrero to reach second. The error cut the deficit to 4-1.

The Blue Jays pulled closer in the fourth. Brandon Valenzuela singled to open the inning, and Daulton Varsho doubled to put runners at second and third. After Ernie Clement flew out, Andrés Giménez grounded out to shortstop, scoring Valenzuela to make it 4-2. Luis Urías reached on a fielder’s choice, but Varsho was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Washington answered emphatically in the bottom of the fourth. Jacob Young walked with one out, and James Wood struck out. Luis García Jr. then homered to right field, his 22nd, scoring Young to push the lead to 6-2. Dylan Crews followed with a solo homer to center, his ninth, making it 7-2. CJ Abrams flew out to end the inning.

Toronto trimmed the lead again in the fifth. Kazuma Okamoto led off with a homer to center, his 24th, making it 7-3. But the Nationals responded in the bottom of the fifth. Daylen Lile singled with one out, then Nasim Nuñez reached on a fielding error by Okamoto at first base. Brady House singled to load the bases, and Jacob Young’s sacrifice fly to left scored Lile, extending the margin to 8-3.

The game remained 8-3 until the eighth inning, when Toronto mounted its comeback against the Washington bullpen. Nathan Lukes singled to open the inning, and Okamoto reached on a fielder’s choice, with Lukes advancing to second on a fielding error by shortstop CJ Abrams. George Springer then delivered the biggest hit of the game for Toronto, a three-run homer to center field, his 12th, scoring Lukes and Okamoto to cut the deficit to 8-6.

Springer’s blast brought the potential tying run to the plate, but Nationals reliever Orlando Ribalta struck out Valenzuela, got Varsho to fly out, and struck out Clement to escape the inning. Beeter worked a perfect ninth, retiring Andrés Giménez on a groundout, striking out Luis Urías, and getting Myles Straw to line out sharply to second baseman Nasim Nuñez to end the game.

Cavalli settled in after the early Toronto threats, retiring seven consecutive batters at one stretch between the fourth and sixth innings. He allowed only the two runs on the Guerrero RBI single and the Okamoto homer.

For Toronto, Brendon Little pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing no hits and striking out four. Jeff Hoffman struck out two in a perfect inning. CJ Van Eyk worked 3.1 innings, allowing one earned run on six hits.

Key performances included Springer’s three-run homer and a 2-for-5 day from Luis García Jr., who also homered and drove in two runs. Okamoto went 1 for 2 with a solo homer. For Washington, Cavalli’s six-inning effort and Beeter’s save highlighted a bullpen that combined for three scoreless innings. Relievers Orlando Ribalta and Tom Cosgrove each threw a scoreless inning.

The victory evened the two-game series after Toronto won 3-2 on Monday. The Blue Jays had entered the game following a 3-2 win in Washington but had lost five of their previous six games. Washington had won four of its previous six.

Both teams remain in the thick of playoff races. The Nationals will look to build momentum as they prepare for a road series against the Atlanta Braves beginning Thursday. Toronto continues its road trip with the series finale against Washington on Wednesday before returning home to host the St. Louis Cardinals.

Attendance was announced at 20,775. The game lasted 3 hours, 7 minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington Nationals 6, Toronto Blue Jays 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Toronto with a 50.60 percent probability to win. Washington had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 14 went under the over-under line of 8.5.