James Wood hits inside-the-park Grand Slam for Nationals

In a thrilling matchup against the New York Mets, James Wood propelled the Washington Nationals into scoring with an inside-the-park grand slam. The game took place on Tuesday, May 20, 2026, and was marked by several exciting offensive plays. The Mets had an explosive start to the week, dominating the Nationals with a 16-7 victory the previous day, scoring 10 runs in the 12th inning — the highest total in a single extra-innings frame since 1983. In the following game, they initially took a strong lead by scoring five runs within the first two innings. The Nationals managed to respond in the bottom of the second inning, narrowing the Mets’ advantage to one run thanks to Wood's impressive grand slam. The inning began with Mets rookie pitcher Nolan McLean securing the first two outs without allowing a baserunner. Following that, Jorbit Vivas hit a two-out double, placing the Nationals on base. McLean then pitched to Drew Millas, hitting him with a pitch, and subsequently loaded the bases when Nasim Nuñez hit an infield single. Wood seized this opportunity, launching a 1-1 sweeper deep to left-center field. Although the ball did not clear the wall, Mets left fielder Nick Morabito, in his MLB debut, mishandled the catch while attempting to leap at the wall. The ball deflected off his glove and into center field, while another outfielder, Tyrone Taylor, did not notice the ball quickly enough, resulting in three runs scoring while Wood rounded third base. He slid home safely, cutting the Mets’ lead to 5-4 and marking his 13th home run of the season, described as a 'Little League grand slam.' This inside-the-park grand slam was notable, not only for its rarity but also because it was not the first one recorded during the season; JJ Wetherholt from the St. Louis Cardinals had previously hit one earlier in May. Despite his misplay, Morabito quickly redeemed himself in the next inning by making a sensational catch near the third base stands on a foul ball, allowing Daylen Lile to score after tagging up. This catch extended the Nationals' lead to 7-5.