WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rookie left-hander Andrew Alvarez delivered five scoreless innings in his major league debut Monday, and the Washington Nationals blanked the Miami Marlins 2-0 to halt an eight-game losing streak.

Alvarez (1-0) allowed just one hit, struck out four and walked two on 81 pitches, becoming the first pitcher in Nationals history (2005–present) to throw five shutout innings in his debut. He is the sixth starter in franchise history to earn a win in his first outing, joining Mitchell Parker (2024), Stephen Strasburg (2010), Luis Atilano (2010), Jordan Zimmermann (2009) and Collin Balester (2008). His effort also tied Balester for the fewest hits allowed in a Nationals debut of at least five innings. Across the majors this season, only two others — Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski in June and Kansas City’s Noah Cameron in April — have worked at least five scoreless innings with one hit or fewer in their professional debut.

Alvarez’s batterymate, CJ Stubbs, also debuted Monday, going 0-for-3 at the plate but playing a pivotal role behind it. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Stubbs became the first catcher in Nationals history to catch a shutout in his major league debut, and the first in MLB since Oakland’s Sean Murphy against the Angels on Sept. 4, 2019. Elias also noted that Alvarez and Stubbs are the first battery in Nationals history to debut on the same day since Sept. 4, 2008, when right-hander Shairon Martis and catcher Luke Montz each made their first major league appearances.

"He’s a fighter," said infielder Nasim Nuñez, who, like Alvarez, was called up from Triple-A today. "He faced a lot of struggles early on. But every time I did my routine, I saw him working hard in the gym even after those rough moments. That kind of dedication can’t be faked for long—you’ll get exposed if it’s not real. But with him, it’s genuine. He just kept pushing through. And now, just look at him: he’s here."

Washington’s bullpen preserved Alvarez’s performance with four scoreless innings. Clayton Beeter struck out two in a perfect sixth, extending his hitless streak to eight appearances. Konnor Pilkington matched a season high with three strikeouts in the seventh, stretching his run to six straight scoreless outings. Cole Henry handled the eighth, and Jose A. Ferrer closed it out in the ninth for his fifth save. Nationals relievers have now allowed just four hits across 15 2/3 innings since Aug. 29, with 21 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .078 batting average.

"It's hard to put into words," Alvarez said after todays game. "I'm just blessed and thankful. The team played awesome, and at the end of the day, the team won. It's such an honor to be a part of this. You dream of this as a kid. And to have it come to fruition is no more than a miracle."

Following today’s game, C.J. Stubbs' family shared their feelings exclusively with the Nats Report: "We are incredibly proud to witness this unforgettable moment in his MLB debut. Seeing him compete on the field truly reflected his passion and dedication to the sport. Despite overcoming numerous obstacles, CJ has demonstrated unwavering resilience. His optimism and upbeat nature also inspire and encourage his pitchers. We are deeply grateful to the Washington Nationals for acknowledging his hard work and providing him with this incredible opportunity."

"When I found out I would be catching Alvy [Alvarez] in his debut, it calmed me down," the 28-year-old CJ. Stubbs said after today’s game. "It gave me some familiarity out there. I was obviously excited for him. And the fact we were able to go out there and do it together just made everything so special."

The Nationals plated both runs in the bottom of the fourth. Rookie Daylen Lile tripled home a run, then came around to score on a single from Luis García Jr. Lile finished 1-for-2 with a walk, stolen base, and run scored, raising his rookie-leading triple total to five — the most by a Nationals rookie since Trea Turner had eight in 2016.

The 22-year-old is hitting .298 over his last 32 games with six doubles, four triples, a home run and 15 RBIs. Luis García Jr. went 2-for-3 with a stolen base, collecting his 30th multi-hit game of the season. He has hit .333 over his last nine contests with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs.

The Nationals will play game two of their three game series tomorrow night against the Miami Marlins with the first pitch scheduled to be at 6:45 p.m. EDT. The Nationals are scheduled to send right-handed pitcher Cade Cavalli to the mound, who has a 1-1 record and an ERA of 5.11. The Nationals are scheduled to face right-handed pitcher Adam Mazur with a record of 0-1 and a 5.59 ERA.

Cade Cavalli has tossed 11.1 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and one walk in two starts at Nationals Park this season.