Splitting a doubleheader isn’t the greatest, but it beats getting swept like the Cleveland Guardians often did over the last two seasons.

After a Monday rainout, Cleveland lost a wild opener 10-9 before pounding the Washington Nationals 9-1 in the nightcap on Tuesday.

NATIONALS WIN 10-9

Washington starter Jake Irvin walked the bases loaded in the first inning. He then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Daniel Schneemann to score.

Nathaniel Lowe tied the game for the Nationals with a single off Luis Ortiz in the bottom of the first.

Cleveland took a 2-1 lead on a 422-foot homer by Nolan Jones in the second inning, but James Wood put Washington on top with a two-run homer in the third.

Alex Call, who played for the Guardians in 2022, added an RBI single in the fifth. Cleveland center fielder Angel Martinez committed a throwing error in the sixth to put Washington on top 6-2.

The Nationals bullpen showed why it’s the second worst in baseball, as the Guardians exploded for six runs in the seventh.

Gabriel Arias hit a two-run single, while Kyle Manzardo, Jose Ramirez, Jhonkensy Noel, and Martinez drove in one run apiece.

Unfortunately, Cade Smith said “hold my beer” and gave up three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Jose Tena, another former Guardian, broke an 8-8 tie with a two-run single.

Cleveland scored in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Arias, but it wasn’t enough.

GUARDIANS WIN 9-1

Ben Lively pitched 5 1/3 innings for Cleveland, giving up just two hits and allowing the offense to put up another nine runs for the victory.

Washington starter Brad Lord matched Lively with zeroes on the scoreboard until the Guardians finally broke through on a three-run homer by Carlos Santana in the sixth.

The Nationals cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth on a homer by catcher Riley Adams.

Cleveland bombed the poor Washington bullpen again on the way to an easy victory.

The Guardians increased the lead to 6-1 in the seventh on a fielder’s choice by Bryan Rocchio, a wild pitch by Jackson Rutledge, and a double by Steven Kwan.

In the eighth, Washington’s Eduardo Salazar also threw a wild pitch to allow Santana to score.

Cleveland finished the rout with solo homers by Schneemann in the eighth and Austin Hedges in the ninth.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Guardians and Nationals will settle the three-game series today at 12:05 p.m.

Logan Allen (2-1) will start for Cleveland against Michael Soroka (0-1) for Washington.