WASHINGTON (AP) - James Wood hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and the Washington Nationals overcame a five-run deficit and held off the Houston Astros 12-11 in the opener of a three-game series Monday night.

CJ Abrams and Curtis Mead each homered and drove in three runs as part of three-hit games for Washington. Nasim Nuñez also had three hits and his major league-leading 33rd stolen base.

Jose Altuve, Yainer Diaz and Brice Matthews homered for Houston.

Mead led off the fifth with a go-ahead home run for the Nationals, who then loaded the bases to chase Astros starter Mike Burrows (4-9). Drew Millas hit a sacrifice fly off AJ Blubaugh before Nuñez´s infield single loaded the bases again. Wood then launched a 446-foot blast to center for his second grand slam of the season.

Houston scored four runs in the eighth off reliever Cole Henry to pull within 12-11, a rally capped by Matthews´ three-run shot to left.

Washington starter Miles Mikolas (3-7) gave up seven runs and struck out three in six innings. Clayton Beeter recorded the last four outs for his seventh save.

Altuve hit a three-run homer off Mikolas in the second, and Diaz added a two-run shot in the third to put the Astros up 6-1.

The Nationals quickly tied it when their first five batters in the third scored. Luis García Jr.´s double and Mead´s single drove in runs, and both scored on Abrams´ homer to right.

Burrows surrendered 10 runs - seven earned - in 4 1/3 innings. It was the most runs allowed by an Astros pitcher since J.P. France gave up 10 to Boston on Aug. 24, 2023.

Major League Baseball reduced Washington pitcher Cade Cavalli´s suspension for his role in a June 30 brawl at Boston from seven games to five. He began serving the suspension Monday.

Houston RHP Tatsuya Imai (5-4, 6.14 ERA) faces Washington LHP Andrew Alvarez (2-1, 3.05) as the series continues Tuesday.

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